Proposed Traffic Regulation Order: reduce speed limit to 40mph on B4009 Streatley Hill, Streatley (Ref: SLR2503)

Background

The speed at which traffic moves on our roads is one of the main factors in fatal incidents, and West Berkshire Council has a responsibility to make sure our roads are safe. We work with the police and local parish and town councils to introduce measures to help keep speeds within safe limits.

A Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) is a legal document that must be made by the Local Authority under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 in order to regulate or restrict the public highway in any way. A TRO can restrict the use of the public highway in many ways, either permanently, experimentally or temporarily. The most common ways are:

• closing the road
• speed restrictions
• weight/width/height restrictions
• prohibiting certain movements
• restricting parking in some way  

The introduction of a 40mph speed limit on Streatley Hill was put forward by Ward Members in February 2025. The decision to take these proposed changes forward to the next stage of the process was made democratically through our Speed Limit Review Task Group and Individual Executive Member Decision. As a result, the proposal to introduce a 40mph speed limit between Lewendon Hill (approx) and The Coombe (approx) is included in the 2026/27 Network Management Works Programme to be put out to public consultation.

To find out more information on how speed limits are set on local roads, please visit our webpage.
 

What we are proposing

West Berkshire District Council proposes to make an Order under Sections 84(1) and (2) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of which is to introduce a 1km section of 40mph speed restriction on the B4009 Streatley Hill between Lewendon Hill and The Coombe (approx). The reason for this is to reduce the risk of danger to highway users and help the passage of pedestrians across this route. As this stretch of road is currently derestricted, there would be no existing orders to revoke, just one new order to make. 

The proposed order relates to a 1km section of B class rural road with few bends, lush vegetation and little roadside development except for one property and the 18-hole Goring and Streatley Golf Course which straddles the road. There are two car parks to the north of the road - one as a half way point for Streatley and Goring Golf Club and one owned by the National Trust for those visiting Lardon Chase. There is a well-used uncontrolled pedestrian crossing point between the golf club car park to the north and holes 7 to 13 to the south. As the name suggests, the eastern end of the proposed restriction slopes down into Streatley village with a 16% decline.  

It is therefore considered appropriate to lower the speed limit on this 1km section of road from 60mph to 40mph to reduce the risk of danger to highway users and help the passage of pedestrians across this route. In addition, the proposed order will act as a buffer zone to gradually lower the speed of traffic approaching Streatley village and to control the speed of traffic going up the hill leaving Streatley village.   

You can view and/or download the draft order, public notice, explanatory statement, and plan of the affected area through the links below:

• Draft Order [465KB]
• Public Notice [483KB]
• Explanatory Statement [384KB]
• Plan of the proposal [295KB]

Why we want your views

We'd like to know whether you'd like to express your support, record a neutral position or lodge an objection to the proposal to reduce the speed limit from derestricted down to 40mph.
 

How to take part

Copies of the draft order, public notice, explanatory statement and plan of the proposals are available for inspection at Reception at West Berkshire Council.

If you'd like to comment on our proposal, please click on the button below. This will open a survey, which should take about five minutes to complete.

Take Part

Comments can also be submitted by email to Trafficandroadsafety@westberks.gov.uk or in writing to the Traffic and Road Safety Team, West Berkshire Council, Market Street Offices, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 5LD. 

All responses must reach the Traffic and Road Safety Team by 5pm on Monday, 25 May 2026 if they are to be considered.

Any personal information you choose to provide will be kept confidential and used in accordance with our  privacy notice [215KB] .

If you have any questions about this TRO, please contact the Traffic and Road Safety Team.

You can find general information about Traffic Management and Road Safety here.
 

What happens next

Once the consultation has closed, all comments and objections will be considered and summarised into a report for consideration by Councillor Stuart Gourley, Executive Portfolio Holder for Environment and Highways, who will decide how to proceed.

If the decision is to approve the proposal, the change will be implemented as soon as our Highway Contractor is able to programme the works. 

After the consultation has closed, if the decision is made to introduce the new speed limits, all objectors who have requested feedback will be informed accordingly.

We aim to publish on this page a summary of the responses we received, and the decision taken, within three months of the consultation closing.