A new speed limit has been introduced along a major road in Northampton following multiple crashes at a notorious ‘red route’ junction.

A new speed limit has been introduced by West Northants Council (WNC) to a 1.5-mile section of the Harlestone Road (A428). The stretch of road was previously a 40mph limit.

A WNC spokesman said: “The 30mph speed limit has been extended from the junction with Hawksmoor Way out to the entrance to Harlestone Firs just beyond the garden centre site. This was done following requests from residents and as a part of Red Routes (Lidl junction), and signage is in place.”

The safety of the road and those who drive on it has been a topic for debate among many motorists and residents who live in the area for years now.

A new speed limit is in place along the Harlestone Road (A428). The crossroads at Firsview and Lodge Way (pictured) has been listed as a 'red route' due to multiple crashes over the years.

placeholder image — A new speed limit is in place along the Harlestone Road (A428). The crossroads at Firsview and Lodge Way (pictured) has been listed as a 'red route' due to multiple crashes over the years.

The ‘red route’ junction at the crossroads at the Lodge Way and Firsview Drive junction has been the scene of multiple crashes over the years – including the death of a motorcyclist in 2021.

A review into the notorious junction was called for, and a reduction to the speed limit in the area was approved in October 2022. It has taken WNC 2.5 years to implement the new rules.

In addition, the area itself is getting much busier, as thousands of homes are being built next to Harlestone Firs, and also between Duston and Harpole. More houses are also set to be built just off the road at the former Airflow site.

Gary Youens, Parish Clerk of Duston Parish Council, said: "For some time, Duston Parish Council has advocated reducing the speed limit on this stretch of Harlestone Road from 40 mph to 30 mph. The area has seen significant development in recent times, like the opening of the Lidl supermarket and the new estates at Harlestone Manor and Loxton Fields, with the potential addition of a housing estate on the former Airflow site.

“Many residents in Duston have expressed concerns that a 40 mph limit was unsuitable, particularly considering the road layout at the junction of Firsview Drive and the Lodge Farm Industrial Estate."

Previous advocates for a review into the junction include Conservative councillor Nigel Hinch, who represents the Duston East ward.

Mr Hinch previously said: "There’s a complete mix of people who are saying the junction is dangerous, then you've got other people saying it's related to driving standards. People do say you can get stuck in the middle of that junction."

The mounted yellow-box speed cameras along Harlestone Road, and the rest of the county, have all been switched off since circa 2010. Northamptonshire Police only use mobile speed camera vans at this moment in time.