A 20MPH speed limit will be introduced throughout the borough next month to improve road safety in built-up areas.

Yesterday, Wednesday, Wigan Council, police, fire and rescue and health service leaders signed a pledge to cut the speed limit.

The majority of streets in built-up areas within the Leigh area are included within the 20mph zones, which will be completed throughout Wigan borough by April 2015.

Clr David Molyneux, deputy leader of Wigan Council, said: “Wigan Council is proud to be making this pledge and working with our partners to make sure safety is a top priority.

“We have worked hard to continually bring down the number of fatalities on our roads, but eight lives were lost in 2011 alone due to road traffic incidents – that is eight too many.

“This scheme will improve road safety and reduce the number of people being killed or seriously injured.”

The council says there is also a financial benefit by ‘reducing the severity of casualties’, with lower ambulance and hospital costs, as well as the reduced human cost. Chief Superintendent Shaun Donnellan, GMP Divisional Commander, said: “We hope the plan will change drivers’ attitudes and behaviour and we will be working with communities to monitor traffic speed in neighbourhoods.”

No road humps will be constructed but signs alerting drivers when entering a 20mph area will be installed.

A campaign encouraging drivers to slow down will accompany the phased roll-out.

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