A4 in Slough could see speed limit changes

Slough Borough Council is currently consulting with motorists and residents to gather views on their thoughts on the possible changes to lower the speeds on certain sections on the key route, including the gateway to Heathrow Airport.

Some parts of the A4 could change from 40mph to 30 whereas the Colnbrook By-pass between Sutton Lane and Lakeside Road could be changed from the national speed limit to 40.

The 30mph could come into force in Bath Road between Lake End Road and Twinches Lane, and between London Road near Fox Road and Sutton Lane.

Where the A4 speed limit changes could happen (Image: Slough Borough Council)

Other sections of the A4, such as the 50mph limit on the Colnbrook by-pass between Lakeside Road and the western end of the bridge over the M25, will remain as is.

The council, this is to bring the existing speed limits in line with current standards and guidance, as well as reduce the ‘danger’ of accidents along the stretch of the key route.

“There isn’t enough space to revise the road layout, and reducing the speed limit would reduce the risk of serious injuries occurring in these types of collisions,” it stated.

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If given the go-ahead, the local authority will use funds from the £1.7m it received from the government’s £3bn scheme with the specific purpose to reduce serious accidents and deaths on local A roads.

Residents and motorists have until October 7 to have their say on the proposed changes.

According to Crash Map, the A4 has seen hundreds of reported accidents, both minor, major, and fatal, since 2011 – with Bath Road seeing the most crashes.

Across the A4, it has seen five fatalities and nearly 100 serious accidents between 2011 and 2021. Bath Road saw one fatal accident and 45 serious ones, Wellington Street had two fatalities and 2 serious accidents, and two fatalities and 19 serious crashes were reported on London Road.

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Part of the A4 has also seen a major change in recent history.

In 2020, the council introduced a bus lane between Dover Road and Uxbridge Road in order to free up space for buses to get to stops faster and to encourage people to take up public transport for shorter journeys to ease congestion on the road.

Senior councillors made the scheme permanent following an extensive consultation period despite thousands of residents and motorists slamming the move as “ill thought out”.