Newport Town Councillor Phil Norton has made a fresh plea for introducing 20mph speed limits around schools.
Mr Norton is a staunch supporter of reducing speed limits outside town schools.
But the Newport south councillor said that his campaign has stalled since the Conservatives took power, and he believes it needs re-visiting.
“We need to join together and take this forward,” he said.
“I want to see 20mph limits outside every school in the country.
“Clearly I can’t achieve that on my own, but I need to campaign. These youngsters are our future and we need to support them.”
Councillor Norton plans to bring the matter before the Community Safety Committee in February.
He added an application will be made to have Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) deployed.
But Councillor Norton does not believe that speed bumps and road narrowing is the route forward.
Instead he believes that safer routes to school can be achieved through law, education and good monitoring.
He added: “I don’t want bumps here, there and everywhere because that’s not what residents want.
“And it’s not about what I want, it’s about what the people want.”
Mr Norton’s immediate focus are the schools within his ward: Newport Junior School on Avenue Road and Newport Infant School on Granville Avenue.
The matter has previously gone before the council over two years ago but was thrown out as it was deemed that proper consultation had not taken place.
More than 100 residents attended the following meeting where deep concerns were expressed about the proposals.
Councillor Adrian Meredith said: “The whole scheme was quashed there and then with the promise that the Safe Route to School scheme would come back with new ideas.
“I am dead against speed bumps and one way traffic as the residents have made it clear that this is not what they want.
“I am not necessarily against 20mph zones - but I can’t understand what they will achieve and who will police it.”
By Sean Wozencroft
