First communities announced for Gloucestershire’s Safer Roads and Community 20s programme

At its meeting on Wednesday 18 March 2026, Cabinet approved the approach for how locations will be prioritised, how communities will be involved and how decisions will be made as the programme is rolled out across the county.

Cabinet also confirmed the first locations to move into public engagement, starting with Cirencester, Preston and Siddington:

·       Cirencester, Preston and Siddington  

·       Cheltenham including Swindon Village, Leckhampton with Warden Hill, Prestbury, Charlton Kings, and Up Hatherley  

·       Stroud  

·       Cainscross  

·       Tewkesbury, Northway, Ashchurch Rural, and Wheatpieces  

·       Cinderford, Ruspidge and Soudley, and Littledean  

·       West Dean

·       Coleford 

These communities will be the first to help shape proposals that focus on reducing speeds where there are clear road safety concerns and strong community support.

Safer Roads and Community 20s explained

The Safer Roads and Community 20s programme takes an evidence-led, community-focused approach to speed management. It brings together local insight with collision and public health data to target change where it will make the greatest difference. 

The programme aims to:

·       reduce deaths and injuries on Gloucestershire’s roads

·       support safer and more active travel, including walking, wheeling and cycling

·       reduce noise and air pollution

·       help create healthier neighbourhoods

Evidence from other parts of the UK shows that lower speeds can also benefit drivers, with smoother journeys, fewer incidents, reduced fuel use and lower insurance costs. 

Cirencester leads the way

Cirencester, Preston and Siddington are the first proposed locations to move into early engagement, marking an important milestone for the programme. Over the last five years, there have been more than 127 recorded road casualties in and around Cirencester, with 30% resulting in death or serious injury.

People who are not protected by a vehicle are most at risk. Across the wider Cirencester area, 35% of casualties are vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. Within the ring road, this rises to 68%, with pedestrians making up the majority of those injured.

This shows that many casualties occur on streets that people rely on for everyday journeys, such as walking to shops, schools and local services.

To create safer roads, there is a need to reduce risk where people and traffic mix. Lower vehicle speeds can reduce the severity of collisions and give drivers more time to react. 

Safer Roads and Community 20s measures are designed to help protect vulnerable road users, reduce serious injuries, and make streets feel safer and more welcoming for walking, wheeling, cycling and everyday life in Cirencester.

In places where vulnerable road users and vehicles mix, the county council considers that 20mph should be the accepted speed. In Cirencester, Preston and Siddington, the proposals look to introduce 20mph speed reductions for the vast majority of urban and residential village roads, with complementary speed reductions proposed for the major roads to ease the transition to 20mph speeds.  

In some instances, the proposals also look to retain 30mph and 40mph speed limits, where these speed limits are working and support the achievement of a consistent speed environment.

Cirencester, Preston and Siddington are being brought forward in the first tranche after scoring highly in the council’s prioritisation process, which considers road safety and public health challenges alongside expressions of interest from Cirencester Town Council, Preston Parish Council, and Siddington Parish Council.

To support delivery, the area has been divided into four zones, allowing feedback and future decisions to reflect local conditions more closely. Lower speeds can reduce the likelihood and severity of collisions and help make streets feel safer for walking, wheeling and cycling.

Cllr Lisa Spivey, Leader of Gloucestershire County Council, said: “I’m delighted that our flagship scheme is taking this first step towards delivering real change. It puts communities at the heart of improving road safety. By starting with early engagement, we’re making sure local voices help shape proposals from the very beginning, so we get the right solutions in the right places.”

Have your say

Early engagement for Cirencester, Preston and Siddington will run from Monday 20 April to midnight on Monday 11 May 2026.

During this time, residents and stakeholders can view proposals, explore interactive maps and share feedback through the council’s Have Your Say platform, using the online survey and mapping tool. Hard copy information and surveys will also be available at Cirencester Library, and people can speak to the project team at the events below.

What happens next?

Following the early engagement period, we will analyse the feedback received and use this data to make a decision as to whether proposals for Cirencester, Preston and Siddington should be taken forward to formal Traffic Order (TO) consultation, and if so whether there are any required changes to respond to local feedback.    

If the proposals are taken forward to formal TO consultation, we anticipate that this will launch in autumn 2026. 

Materials

·       Safer roads and community 20s | Highways

·       Cirencester and Preston – Safer Roads and Community 20s | Have Your Say Gloucestershire

·       Photos – Safer Roads and Community 20s | Flickr

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