ROAD safety campaigners say speed limits on the Forest’s fastest roads should be slashed.

The Forest of Dean Road Safety Partnership wants to see in the future a maximum 40mph speed limit instated on rural roads where currently the national speed limit (60mph) applies.

The group is also hoping that Gloucestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Martin Surl, will fund an education campaign aimed at motorists.

The announcement comes as the Gloucestershire collision and casualty figures show the rate of accidents in the Forest of Dean have decreased in the last 11 years – but not as fast as the road safety partnership would like.

In 2014 two Gloucestershire county councillors – Labour’s Paul McMahon (Coleford) and UKIP’s Richard Leppington (Blakeney and Bream) – secured the go-ahead from the county council for the new Forest-wide road safety committee.

The aim of the committee is to highlight danger spots in the Forest and get action to improve safety.

Vice-chair of the partnership, Cllr Leppington said: “In the long-term I’d like to see a 40mph speed limit on many roads where motorists can legally travel at 60mph. I think that is fast enough for the nature of the roads and potential hazards.

“Initially the group is looking at putting out an educational campaign to motorists of all ages encouraging them to be aware of safe driving.

“I believe wildlife in the Forest contributes to accidents on our roads, whether it’s swerving to avoid a deer or wild boar – motorists need to be aware of this and drive accordingly.

“Our campaign would involve hosting events, creating window stickers and posters. This obviously requires a lot of funding which we are asking the Police and Crime Commissioner, Martin Surl, for. Once we establish how much we have we can get going.

The figures provided by the Gloucestershire Road Safety Partnership show there were four fatalities last year compared to 18 in 2005 and 32 serious incidents compared to 41 eleven years ago.

Cllr Leppington said: “The rate of accidents is coming down but not as fast as we’d like. That’s why we have to be pro-active and put a plan in place to bring the number down quickly.

“I have seen in my division public concern about the speed limit in Blakeney along the A48. There have also been concerns flagged up in Bream Road and Speech House Road.”