THE speed limit along three major Poole commuter routes is set to be cut – but the plans have until now merited just a single line in a council cabinet report.

Stretches of routes near Holes Bay will be cut from 50 miles per hour to 40mph if the scheme gets the green light.

Council officials say the plans went to cabinet earlier this month. However, the item features briefly on page 101 of the agenda in a report entitled Traffic Regulation Order. The mention features just two locations – Holes Bay Road and the Dorset Way.

The proposal may have been discussed by Poole council’s transportation advisory group in March. However, the minutes of that meeting aren’t available to view online.

A consultation into the plans has now opened. This reveals that the existing limits around Holes Bay could be revoked and replaced.

The Upton Bypass, the Dorset Way and Holes Bay Road would all be affected. Under the plans, a new limit would be imposed on the Upton Bypass between Holes Bay Road and a point 400 metres to the west, as well as between Holes Bay North and a point 60 metres to the west.

Both carriageways of the Dorset Way would drop to 40mph for 165 metres from the Holes Bay junction, and for 130 metres of Holes Bay Road from the Upton Bypass junction.

Part of Lower Blandford Road will also drop from a 40mph speed limit to a 30mph limit between Waterloo Road and Wallace Road.

It is understood the idea was first suggested after safety concerns were raised over a planning application for a new service station at Holes Bay North next to the fire station.

The Marshes End site is being redeveloped as a Shell petrol station, convenience store and automatic car wash.

Permission was granted for the site in January, subject to a condition that ‘highway safety mitigation measures’ will be implemented.

Measures to ‘encourage reduced vehicle speeds on the Dorset Way at the approaches to the roundabout’ were among the conditions mooted.

Councillor Andy Hadley, cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, said: “Drivers taking the roundabout, including those arriving from the port, can be making a fast approach.

"For safety reasons due to a new development which is currently being constructed near the fire station and Holes Bay Road Roundabout, it is considered necessary to strongly consider reducing the speed limit.”