NEW 20mph zones will be introduced across Poole from September.

The council says legal notices will be placed in the affected roads during June and July ahead of the new speed limits being introduced.

The first three areas where 20mph zones will be implemented are Alderney West, Hamworthy Park, and Tatnam.

Then, in November, Alexandra Park, Birds Hill and Danecourt Road will become 20mph areas.

Cllr Ian Potter, portfolio holder for planning, regeneration and transportation, said the 20mph zones were being introduced mainly in residential areas where concerns about vehicle traffic have been raised by locals.

“It’s about changing the hearts and minds of drivers; encouraging them to slow down in densely populated residential areas for the benefit of people who live there,” he said.

“When traffic slows, it encourages more of us to make greater use of our streets for walking, cycling, playing or just socialising which is great for our health. With less traffic and more people around, the places we live in should, in time, become safer, friendlier, quieter and cleaner places to be.”

The enforcement of the 20mph zones will be managed by Neighbourhood Policing Teams.

The council created maps marking out the roads which will be subject to the new speed limit.

In Hamworthy Park, the 20mph zone in Ashmore Avenue and part of Lulworth Avenue will be extended to cover the whole road and adjoining roads including Branksea Avenue. The zone will also include Rockley Road and adjoining roads.

And the 20mph zone in Alexandra Park will encompass Alexandra Road, Langdon Road, Vale Road, and Crescent Road.

Existing 20mph zones in Poole include the town centre, which came into force last year, Heckford Park/Longfleet, Courthill Road, Cromer Road, Heatherlands, and Salterns Road.

Newton was the first trial area to have a residential 20mph zone to improve road safety.

Hampshire Constabulary was criticised by county councillors recently for failing to enforce 20mph speed limits.

Councillors said there was no point in the speed limits without the fear of prosecution.

However, the force said it did not “routinely enforce 20mph speed limits as a matter of course” due to “finite” resources.

It also claimed these limits are “largely self-enforcing”.

Poole council says local people can help raise awareness and reduce traffic speed in their local roads by taking part in Community Speed Watch, working in partnership with their Neighbourhood Policing Team. This enables members of the community to carry out speed checks, which are then reported to Dorset Police.