CONCERNS over the speed of vehicles approaching Hartford from the A556 have led to proposals for a new speed limit.

The stretch of the A559 Chester Road between the dual carriageway slip road and Keepers Close is currently subject to the national speed limit, but a new order would reduce that to 40mph.

Currently, the road is subject to a 30mph limit from near Keepers Close and into Hartford, and it is hoped that a preceding 40mph limit would help better enforce this.

The limit proposal follows an assessment almost five years ago.

A statement of reasons from Cheshire West and Chester Council's Highways team said: "This section links Hartford and Whitegate and is a rural road with few accesses with the major bend/junction at the spur to the A556.

"[It serves a] mixed local access/through traffic function. At present this section of the A559 has a national speed limit.

"Following concerns over vehicle speeds on the approach to Hartford it was agreed the speed limit on this section would be assessed.

"The speed limit assessment was undertaken in September 2014 with the recommendation to change the speed limit [between] the existing speed limit change (30mph) to the slip road access on A556 to 40mph.

"The proposal meets the Department of Transport guidance on setting local speed limits and is supported by the police, the parish councils and the local CWAC members."