Wrexham Road Statement

Cheshire West and Chester Council continues to extend their condolences to the family and friends of Evan Rothwell following the tragic incident on 12 November 2024.

We have been fully supporting and co-operating with Cheshire Police’s enquiries into the incident and will continue to do so.

Following an independent review commissioned on behalf of the Council, which considered relevant material provided by the Council, the local community and the school, the decision has been taken to reduce the current speed limit outside of King’s School on Wrexham Road from 40mph to 30mph.

Relevant agencies, including the Police have been informed of this intention and have offered their support.

The outcome of the independent review confirms that the current 40mph speed limit on Wrexham Road had been set appropriately and in accordance with national guidance provided by the Department for Transport, and that the design of the junction is adequate.

However, having considered all the information, and having regard to the public opinion which has been expressed through petitions and communications, the review provided a basis to consider a lower speed limit of 30mph. Therefore, the Council has exercised its discretion in implementing a lower speed limit.

The Council will implement a 30mph speed limit using an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) for an initial period of 18-months from March 2025. An ETRO is quicker to implement than a permanent legal order and allows time for the local community and other road users to contribute to the consultation to allow the Council to assess the impact of a change of speed limit.

The review also highlighted a number of matters of concern relating to driver behaviour and congestion caused by traffic seeking to access King’s School. The Council continues to work closely with Cheshire Police and with the King’s School to seek to address those matters.

Although the Council is the Highway Authority with responsibility for Wrexham Road it does not have any power or authority to enforce road traffic infringements which is a matter solely for Cheshire Police.

The Council’s responsibility as the Highways Authority is to put measures in place to keep our roads as safe as possible for all users of the highways network. This is a responsibility we share with the police, local businesses, schools and our communities. We will continue to work with all agencies and partners to improve road safety for all road users in this location.