Plans which could see the speed limit on a major artery into the town centre reduced will be discussed by the council’s cabinet next month.

An as-yet-unseen report has been prepared, exploring the possibility of slashing the speed limit of Queens Drive from 40mph to 30mph.

There have been several crashes on the road, which runs from the Magic Roundabout to Coate Water, in recent weeks, and resulting calls for the speed limit to be reduced.

The latest update was provided by Cllr Chris Watts, cabinet member for highways and the environment, after a question from Conservative ward member Curtis Flux.

He said at a meeting on Thursday: “At the full council meeting last July, 6 months ago, I asked the cabinet member for highways and the environment, as a member of the new administration no longer restricted by any pre-election period, to commence a corridor study to seek to reduce the speed limit on Queens Drive from 40mph to 30mph as a matter of urgency.

“I asked him to confirm when this survey will commence and his anticipated timescale for completion.”

Cllr Flux went onto say that Cllr Watts confirmed a study was commissioned, with an anticipated completion at the end of December 2023.

Continuing, Cllr Flux said: “As we have now seen another two crashes in the past week at the same location on Queens Drive, the need for reduced speed is growing in urgency.

“Will he update both worried residents and concerned members of this council as to what action he has taken since the completion of the survey?

“If no action has yet been taken, will he tell us what his immediate intentions are to reduce the speed limit and make the road safer?”

In response the cabinet member Councillor Chris Watts said: “A report addressing the motion regarding road safety on Queens Drive is on the draft agenda for Cabinet on February 7.

“It will be for cabinet to consider the officers' recommendations in the report and agree the way forward.”

Residents in Queens Drive have said they think the road dangerous with a number of collisions taking place recently.

Most recently, a driver crashed into traffic lights at the crossing opposite the Co-Op shop, near the Drakes Way roundabout, with debris narrowly missing a schoolchild walking to school.