A review of roads will take place in Stockport which could see speed limits lowered across the borough.

All urban roads with 40mph speed limits will be reviewed with a view to dropping to 30mph, alongside a plan 'for implementing 20mph speed limits on all residential streets'.

Councillors agreed to the proposals during a meeting at the town hall on November 13.

The motion requested a report with details about a delivery plan and timeline for the work to be shared at a council meeting within six months.

According to figures from Transport for Greater Manchester, there were three deaths and 71 serious injuries on Stockport's roads in 2024.

Cllr Jon Byrne, from Stockport's Labour opposition group, said 'roughly 31 per cent' of Stockport's roads have 20mph limits currently, and explained that 'lower speed limits save lives'.

"I don't want anyone to forget that behind every number is a story, a story of individuals whose lives have dramatically changed," he added.

"A story of families who instead of spending Christmas at home spend it at the side of hospital beds, and a story of homes where there will forever be an empty chair at the table.

"If there was any other arena where an average of more than one person a week was killed or seriously injured here in our borough, it would be endlessly challenged until it had been solved."

There is a plan to implement a 20mph speed limit on some residential streets (Image - Albert Bridge)

Lib Dem Councillor Grace Baynham, who is cabinet member for roads and transport in Stockport, pointed out that her party brought forward a motion in 2021 to bring in 20mph limits on residential streets in the borough.

She added: "The council has delivered a 9pc increase in 20mph limits over the last two years, demonstrating continued annual expansion.

"While we have invested funding from our capital programme, and wards are also free to use their delegated budgets to implement 20mph schemes, to have a much-expanded roll out on this programme, it depends on additional funding, particularly where traffic calming is required to ensure credibility of the speed limit."

Cllr Baynham added that the council is already planning to review urban roads with 40mph speed limits, and will 'go further' to include rural roads where 'concerns have been raised about the speeds as well.'

The motion also called for more funding for school streets in Stockport, a scheme which aims to use temporary traffic restrictions on some roads at school drop off or pick up times.

Cllr Baynham explained that there are four school streets in Stockport, with a further five being developed.

Speed limit image by Albert Bridge, licensed under Creative Commons Licence.

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