The speed limit on what is theoretically one of Chorley’s fastest roads is set to be halved.

The current 60mph national speed limit on a section of Horrobin Lane, alongside the Upper Rivington Reservoir, will be cut to 30mph.

Highways bosses are making the change – which has been approved by Lancashire County Council’s cabinet – in order to reduce potential speeds on the approach to Rivington village, where a 20mph maximum is already in force.

The new restriction will be introduced from the junction with New Road, taking in a stretch of the route which is a popular parking area for sightseers and people dropping off or picking up children from Rivington Primary School.

Last year, County Hall pressed ahead with plans to impose a parking ban close to the school – something to which its headteacher objected, for fear that it would force parents and children to walk further along the part of Horrobin Lane where the speed limit will now be reduced.

On the other side of the borough, there will also be speed reductions around Bretherton.

The existing 50mph limit on Marl Cop – from its junction with North Road – and on North Road itself – between Carr House Lane and Cocker Bar Road  – will drop to 40mph.

The same speed change will be implemented on a 120-metre stretch of Cocker Bar Road, with the remainder of the route retaining a 50mph limit.

The request for the changes in Bretherton was originally made by the parish council, before being developed by a traffic engineer and Lancashire Police.

A public consultation into all of the proposed reductions was carried out late last year.

Lancashire County Council’s cabinet member for highways, Keith Iddon, told a cabinet meeting that the changes “make sense”.