Plans for 20mph zones will only be rolled out where schemes are “appropriate” and have the backing of residents, a county councillor has said.

The council has earmarked £2.3m for the continued roll-out in next year’s budget proposals – as part of plans that would total £7m over three years.

But its record on the roll-out of 20mph zones was challenged as part of the cross-party scrutiny of the budget plans, where questions were asked about how zones could be increased within the same budget.

More than 1,500 people living or working in the county have now signed a petition calling for the council to stop the roll-out – claiming “this wasteful spending must be stopped immediately”.

At a meeting of the council’s cabinet on Monday, February 12, executive member for highways and transport Cllr Phil Bibby stressed 20mph zones were only planned in areas where they were “appropriate” – and had the backing of residents.

Addressing the cabinet just hours before the full council’s budget setting meeting, Cllr Bibby said: “The opposition would still like us to actually effectively roll-out blanket default schemes which we are totally against.

“We have done so in a very scientific way – based on independent research and experience.

“And we are actually putting these schemes in appropriate places, where the local residents and members agree we are not going to impose any limits on anyone.

“I think we are in a good place here. We are actually consulting with the public and putting the schemes in where they are required and needed.”

The council’s 2024/25 budget proposals will be presented to a meeting of the full council on Tuesday, February 13.