SIX Devon communities that would most benefit from lower traffic speeds have been chosen for new 20mph schemes.

The communities this year are Black Torrington, Bridgerule and Dolton in Torridge, Cockwood and Dawlish in Teignbridge and Uffculme in Mid Devon.

These six communities follow four others that were chosen last year.

Each year Devon County Council receives significant numbers of requests for 20mph schemes.

To ensure that the communities that would most benefit from lower vehicle speeds were prioritised two years ago, the county council introduced of a new way of considering requests.

In January it asked its local county councillors to talk to the communities they represented and submit "expressions of interest" for a new scheme.

The county council traffic team then considered each of the 57 applications taking into account average speeds at key locations and the number of vulnerable road users in that area.

Other factors include the speed related collision history in the area, the level of support for a 20mph scheme in the community, the presence of an active Community Speed Watch and the community’s deprivation index ranking.

Each community was then ranked using a "priority matrix" and six communities with the highest scores were then put forward for new schemes. 

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highway Management said: “Unfortunately we can’t deliver schemes in every community that has requested one, but by identifying the most in need it ensures that our limited resources are focused where there will be the greatest benefit.

“I’m delighted that initial design work on these six schemes can now progress, and they will be subject to a safety audit, and we will work in partnership with the local elected member before they are advertised.

“We hope to be able to continue to roll out the 20mph speed limits that are desired by our communities each year.

“In doing so it helps communities feel safer and creates the conditions for increased active travel by making walking and cycling safer and easier.”