The current 40 mph speed limit on the A351 road coming into Swanage from Harmans Cross is to be lowered to 30mph by Dorset Council.
The new traffic regulation order comes into effect from Tuesday 1st November 2022.
The 40 mph section that currently starts on the A351 Valley Road from Harmans Cross, will be replaced by a 30 mph limit before the Langton Matravers junction
The 40 mph signs will be replaced with 30 mph signs
“Extend the existing 30 mph limit”
Published on Thursday 20th October 2022 the traffic regulation order states:
“The effect of the order will be to revoke the current 40 mph limit on a section of the A351 and in its place extend the existing 30 mph limit just west of The Swanage School entrance to a point approximately 207 metres west of its junction with the B3069 to Langton Matravers.”
The controversial Langton Matravers triangle
The redesign of the Langton Matravers junction slows traffic by making it awkward to navigate but it also means that large vehicles have to drive on the wrong side of the road to turn in and out of the junction
Controversial redesign of the Langton Matravers junction
Prompted by requests from Langton Matravers Parish Council to make the junction of the A 351 Valley Road with the turn off to the village safer, Dorset Council controversially redesigned the junction to slow traffic as it navigated the turn.
It also added a pedestrian island crossing, to help school children and adults cross the road at the junction.
Following complaints that the redesign meant that lorries, buses and fire engines had to drive on the wrong side of the road to turn in and out of the Langton Matravers road, the safety of the junction was reassessed by Dorset Council.
The current 30 mph limit, which starts just before St Mark’s CoE Primary School and The Swanage School as drivers come into Swanage, will be extended
To stick within the new speed limits when leaving Swanage, drivers will have to keep within 30 mph until they have passed the Langton Matravers junction
Safety audit was undertaken by Dorset Council
In April 2021 a safety audit was completed and Dorset Council concluded that alterations to the junction weren’t necessary but lowering the speed limit from 40 mph to 30 mph would improve road safety.
Following a public consultation in summer 2022, the decision was made by Dorset Council to implement the change from Tuesday 1st November 2022. It’s not yet known when the road signs will change.
