THE speed limit on two major roads in Poole will be reduced to 40mph by the end of this month.

Holes Bay Road and Broadstone Way both currently have 50mph speed limits, however the council says reducing the speed will cut down the number of serious and fatal accidents on the roads.

Engineers have been carrying out major works on Holes Bay Road to create a new junction at Sterte Avenue West.

Martin Baker, senior engineer for the Borough of Poole, said the reduced speed limit along Holes Bay Road would improve safety at the junction.

“Traffic signals are currently being installed at the Sterte Avenue West junction of Holes Bay Road as part of the first phase of road improvements to the Townside area in Poole.

“To allow vehicles to safely enter and exit the new junction at Sterte Avenue West the speed limit along Holes Bay Road will be reduced to 40mph.

“This speed limit will also be extended to the entire length of Broadstone Way.”

Council officers carried out speed surveys and reviewed the nature and number of collisions along the length of both Holes Bay Road and Broadstone Way before making the decision to reduce the speed limit.

A Borough of Poole spokesperson said: “The conclusion is that there are a significant number of accidents that occur along both roads and that the reduction in speed will likely lead to a reduced number of serious/fatal accidents, based on results from a speed limit reduction on Dorset Way/Canford Way.

“Furthermore, the accident history and recorded speeds have been presented to the police and they have indicated that they are supportive of the proposal.”

However, commenters on a Poole-based Facebook group have called the move “ridiculous” and “madness”.

One person said: “I don’t speed but this is lunacy. There are national speed limits for dual carriageways. These roads are already below the national advised limits.”

Cllr Mike Brooke, who represents the Broadstone ward, said he “didn’t have any real issues” with the new speed limit, however he would like to see similar action taken on Lower Blandford Road, which currently has a 40mph limit.

“We’ve been asking for years, but the council is refusing to drop that road down to 30mph. There are a lot of houses and junctions on that road, as well as a lot of cyclists, particularly pupils from Poole Grammar School, so the road does need to be made safer.

“Broadstone Way doesn’t have any houses along it so I can’t see the logic in reducing the speed on that road,” he added.