THE council is spending £25,000 on setting 30mph limits on several roads - despite police saying it will do nothing to cut speed.

Southampton City Council's cabinet on Tuesday decided to make the 30mph limit on the A33 Bassett Avenue and the A33 The Avenue permanent.

It also decided to reduce Bassett Green Road and Bassett Wood Road from 40pm to 30mph.

The council previously lowered the speed limit on A33 Bassett Avenue, A33 The Avenue from 40mph to 30mph under a Temporary Traffic Order.

This was to support the installation of temporary cycle lanes – some of which are now permanent – and said it would improve overall safety for all road users.

Bassett Green Road and Bassett Wood Road were included in a Traffic Regulation Order to reduce the speed limit and give all the four roads a permanent speed limit of 30mph in December 2021.

READ MORE: Chiefs welcome plans for Bassett Avenue and The Avenue in Southampton

However the police objected to the proposals on all the roads other than Bassett Wood Road.

A cabinet report said: "Hampshire police have stated that they will not object to Bassett Wood Road, but have objected to Bassett Green Road, Bassett Avenue and The Avenue.

"They have stated that based on traffic data (observed speeds of vehicles along the road) obtained as part of the monitoring of the current conditions of the road that a 40mph speed limit is appropriate for these roads.

"It is the police view that reducing speed limits from 40mph by only replacing 40mph signage with 30mph signage will not see any significant reduction in overall speeds."

However, councillors in cabinet rejected Hampshire Constabulary’s submission and voted in the new permanent speed limits.

They hope the ‘reduction in the speed limit on these roads will assist in a plan setting out the transport strategy up to 2040.

The changes to the four roads will cost £25,000.

This will be funded by the existing capital programme for transport and district regeneration.