A speed change which was due to come into force this week has been halted after concerns over travel time.

Slough Borough Council had planned to change the speed limits on the A4 from 40mph to 30mph as part of its Safer Roads Scheme.

The changes were set to come into force on Monday, February 12, which would have also seen Colnbrook By Pass reduced from a 60mph limit to a 50mph limit.

However, on Friday, February 9 the council said: "Due to an objection to the traffic regulation order regarding making the A4 consistently a 30mph limit along the A4, Sutton Lane and London Road, we've postponed the start date of the change and it will no longer change on February 12.

"Additionally, the proposed reduction of the speed limit on part of the A4 Colnbrook By-Pass from 60mph to 50mph, is also postponed until further notice."

Upon approaching the council, The Observer was told that the objection related to travel times.

A Slough Borough Council spokesperson said: "The objection was from a resident that objected to the 30mph because the proposed speed limit will severely impact their travel times both to work and to hospital where they receive regular treatment.

"However, they live in an area where the section of the A4 closest to them is already 30mph. This objection is currently being looked at by the team."

The council do not yet have a new start date for the scheme, which it says it will share once decided.

Councillor Puja Bedi, lead member for transport, housing, highways, the environment and environmental services, previously said the speed changes are part of the council's commitment to make the A4 route "as safe as possible for everyone".

It followed a cabinet meeting in November 2023, where the road safety measures were approved to help reduce and prevent accidents, from the Huntercombe crossroads at the borough boundary to the intersection of the M4 Junction 5 roundabout.

It is hoped the changes to the speed limits will reduce the severity of collisions when they occur, with the A4 being found to be one of the 50 high-risk roads in England by the Road Safety Foundation in 2016.

An analysis of fatal and serious collisions was undertaken by the DfT that showed three fatal and 44 serious collisions on this route between 2011-2015.

Fatal and serious collisions between 2016 to February 2022 show there were an additional four fatal and 42 serious collisions on the A4.

Average speed cameras, red-light camera systems, road surface treatments and traffic signal improvements will also be added in line with the Safer Roads Scheme.

The works are being entirely funded by £1.7m from the Department for Transport’s Safer Roads Fund and will be in parallel with the A4 cycle scheme currently in development.