Hutton Parish Council - Hutton 20MPH Scheme Update – 4th March 2026

Hutton Parish Council have been informed that North Somerset Council (NSC) are awaiting a date

from the lining contractor to complete the necessary road markings for the new 20MPH Gateway’s

(Entry Treatments). It maybe this week as the weather looks dryer.

At the Parish Council Meeting held on Monday 2nd March 26, 6 parishioners attended the meeting

to express their long held and continuing concern at the speed of traffic, danger points and lack of

speed improvement and new concerns regarding the new road layout near Sutherland Drive,

including its potential for causing hold ups and delays.

At the meeting, the Parish Council pointed out the following:

• During the 2023 NSC design stage of the 20MPH scheme, the east and west extension of the

proposed scheme, which was requested by both our District Cllrs and the Parish Council,

was not approved by NSC, as it did not meet the NSC 20MPH criteria, national guidance or

local policy.

• The Parish Council has been hastening NSC for the completion of the 20MPH Gateway’s

(Entry Treatments) since the Hutton Hill road was reopened in Jul 25, as this was felt to be

crucial to the enforcement of the 20MPH scheme.

• The priority was the full opening of the 20MPH scheme and after that, Cllrs would explore

what other speed reduction measures could be put into place.

• The Parish Council is now exploring the purchase of electronic speed awareness signs.

• Our District Cllrs and Parish Council are now in discussion with NSC regarding proposed

changes to alleviate traffic issues near the School entrance. A meeting is due to be held with

the School.

• Once the NSC designed 20MPH Gateway’s (Entry Treatments) are complete, Cllrs will ask for

enforcement with speed checks by the Police and Hutton Community Speed Watch.

• Prior to the Parish Council Meeting, the Clerk and Cllrs had only received one written

complaint and that this was passed on ASAP to NSC - Neighbourhood Traffic and Road

Safety.

The response from NSC - Neighbourhood Traffic and Road Safety addressing the main points in the

written complaint is summarised below:

Regarding visibility and approach speeds, the design provides approximately 100m of visibility

between opposing vehicles, which is more than double that recommended by design standards.

For context, the recommended stopping sight distance is 43m for 30mph (based on 85th percentile

speeds). Speed data indicates that the 85th percentile approach speed from the west is 30mph.

Swept path analysis has been carried out, which shows there is sufficient space for vehicles

turning right from Sutherland Drive to pull out up to the new give-way line and then proceed safely

around the build-out. We would expect vehicles exiting Sutherland Drive and turning right to do so

only when there is sufficient space to complete the manoeuvre without blocking traffic. With regard

to potential queuing between opposing priority points, priority working systems of this length are

common in villages with constrained infrastructure and do not typically result in complete

deadlock.

Whilst there can be benefits to placing the build-out on the opposite side of the road, following a

review by our road safety team this arrangement was considered less safe. Specifically, the signing

required on the build-out would restrict visibility for drivers exiting Sutherland Drive. The current

layout offers a better balance between reducing vehicle speeds and maintaining safe, predictable

movements for all users.

NSC - Neighbourhood Traffic and Road Safety appreciate engagement with the scheme and will

continue to monitor its performance following implementation.

NSC have also informed the Parish Council that: “There will be a bedding in period where drivers

have to adapt their usual behaviour, for instance stopping in the narrowing when its busy and

blocking the oncoming traffic from proceeding around new the buildout to clear the traffic’’.