Coronavirus: 20mph zones planned across Angus towns and villages to control safe exit from lockdown

A swathe of 20mph zones in Angus towns and villages are to be introduced to safely pace the county’s recovery out of the coronavirus pandemic.

The council hopes to secure nearly £800,000 of Scottish Government cash to put measures in place which will keep people distanced as communities re-open with the relaxation of lockdown restrictions.

Temporary 20mph limits will be applied in all seven Angus towns – but council roads chiefs are still to reveal their exact location.

Six-figure funding has also already been secured to lower the speed limit in Edzell, Friockheim and Liff.

Last year, Edzell villagers were promised they would be first in the queue for any move to introduce permanent 20mph limits in local villages.

The Sustrans-managed fund is designed to address public health issues during the transition out of the pandemic, as well as encouraging safe walking and cycling which has been described as a “silver lining to the Covid-19 cloud”.

The authority has now made a £629,000 follow-up bid to ramp up its Spaces for People programme for temporary 20mph limits in six more villages – Glamis, Hillside, Kingsmuir, Letham, Newbigging and Newtyle – and to fund physical measures including barriers and signs in every burgh to promote physical distancing in slow zones and around schools.

The council said 20mph areas will be detailed when temporary traffic regulation orders are published.

Angus communities convener, Montrose Independent councillor Mark Salmond said: “These bids represent Angus Council’s determination to deliver measures that address the current and ongoing public health need to maintain safer social distances in our towns and villages.

“They are also designed to increase the already growing numbers of people who are walking and cycling during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We want to support safer, healthier lifestyles through and beyond this public health crisis, by promoting active travel for day-to-day journeys, whether for leisure or work purposes.

“This has undoubtedly got to be a silver lining to the Covid-19 cloud.

“The Spaces for People is 100% grant funded and we are delighted to have already received news of our successful bids of £160,000.

“These are being progressed for delivery in July. We are also eagerly awaiting confirmation from Sustrans that we can progress with the detailing and delivery of £629,000 for further active travel and road safety interventions during this summer.”

Perth and Kinross Council has fast-tracked traffic orders for more than 60 streets in the city centre, with a 20mph zone also set to be applied around the city’s Royal Infirmary.

Dundee has also made a second bid for Spaces for People cash having already secured more than £450,000 to put in place measure including 20mph zones, the closure of Union Street to traffic and additional barriers and signage.