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Residents invited to help shape safer roads in Cinderford and surrounding areas

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Gloucestershire County Council is inviting residents, businesses and communities in Cinderford and surrounding areas to share their views on proposals to introduce lower speed limits across the area.

The plans form part of Gloucestershire County Council's Safer Roads and Community 20s programme and aim to create safer streets by reducing speeds where people are most at risk. 

The proposals cover Cinderford and surrounding areas, including Ruspidge and Soudley and Littledean, and would introduce more consistent speed limits across these communities. Most urban and residential streets are proposed to become 20mph, particularly in areas where people live, shop, travel locally and spend time with family and friends. 

Alongside this, lower speed limits are proposed on key routes entering Cinderford and the surrounding villages to support safer transitions into 20mph areas and improve conditions for people walking, wheeling and cycling. Together, the changes aim to reduce the risk of collisions and support safer and more sustainable travel choices. 

In some locations, existing 30mph and 40mph speed limits would remain where they are considered appropriate and are working effectively. 

The proposals are being brought forward as part of the first tranche of locations within the Safer Roads and Community 20s programme. Cinderford and surrounding areas scored highly in Gloucestershire County Council's prioritisation exercise, which considered road safety challenges, public health factors and expressions of interest from Cinderford Parish Council and Ruspidge and Soudley Parish Council. 

Over the five-year period between 2021 and 2025, 117 road traffic casualties were recorded across Cinderford, Littledean, Ruspidge and Soudley, with just over a quarter resulting in people being killed or seriously injured. More than a quarter of all casualties involved vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. 

Public engagement is now open and will run until midnight on Sunday 8 November. 

Residents can view the proposals, comment on an interactive map and complete an online survey here: Cinderford and surrounding areas – Safer Roads and Community 20s | Have Your Say Gloucestershire

Paper copies of the consultation materials and hard-copy surveys are also available at Cinderford Library, Belle Vue Road, Cinderford, GL14 2BZ. 

People can also speak directly with the project team at the following events: 

  • In-person pop-up event: CANDI Unlimited, 31 Market Street, Cinderford, GL14 2RT, on Tuesday 20 October, from 10am to 6pm. 

If there is community support, a formal Traffic Order consultation will be launched in winter 2026, with any approved changes expected to be introduced in mid-2027. 

Cllr Roger Whyborn, cabinet member for sustainable transport and road safety, said: "We're now asking residents, businesses and local organisations to share their views on the proposals for Cinderford and the surrounding area. Feedback from the community will help us understand local priorities and inform the next stage of the project. 

"These proposals are part of our work to make roads safer and support healthier communities. By reducing speeds in key locations, we can help lower the risk of collisions and create places where people feel more comfortable walking, wheeling and cycling.”