A 20mph zone is another step closer after proposals were backed by police and the county council.

Labour councillors Asif Khan, Richard Smith, and Bilqees Mauthoor, have reacted to complaints from the North Watford community about speeding in the area.

Roads in North Watford are often used as rat runs by drivers who are looking to avoid the traffic in St Albans Road.

Twenty mile per hour speed limits are already in place in other parts of Watford and two petitions were launched by both the Labour and Lib Dem parties for one in North Watford.

Cllr Khan has commissioned speed surveys to take place in more than 20 roads in the area – and the results are in.

The results show that the average speed along the surveyed roads is in the region of 17 to 25mph.

This is key for the campaign – a mean speed of over 25mph does not fit the criteria for the need for a 20mph zone – and alternative traffic calming measures would have to be considered.

Surveys were taken over a 24 hour period and also recorded the number of cars which used the road. Longspring, between St Albans Road and The Harebreaks, and Middle Way were among the busiest with 4,900 and 1,700 vehicle journeys made respectively during a day last month.

The roads which are likely to be included in the scheme are Woodside, Chestnut Walk, Foxhill, Beech Road, Cherry Tree Road, Middle Way, Longspring, Fuller Road, Berry Avenue, Oakdene Road, Fuller Gardens, Thrums, Hazel Tree Road, Leggatts Wood Avenue, Pomeroy Crescent, Beechwood Rise, Ash Tree Road, Brushrise, Leggatts Way (between Churchfields Road and Gammons Lane), Elm Grove, Dell Road, Maude Crescent, Nicholas Close, and St George’s Road (between The Harebreaks and Fuller Road).

Cllr Khan said: "I'm pleased after some really hard work, we can now move forward with this. We have got Herts Highways on board and also the police. We will now have a formal consultation stage of implementing a 20 mph zone and I do really want residents to give their views. Evidence has shown, in areas like ours, 20mph zones do work to reduce speeding."

Cllr Smith said: "Residents want measures in place that will reduce speed and it is a very good thing to have in Leggatts. It will take 18 months for it to be implemented after the consultation stage. If we could do it quicker, we certainly would."

The full consultation, which in total will cost £12,045, will be funded through Cllr Khan’s county council budget.