Church Preen Primary School pupils with their new 20mph sign
A new 20mph speed limit is now in place outside Church Preen Primary School as part of a Shropshire Council programme to introduce speed restrictions outside schools across the county.
At Church Preen the scheme has seen the introduction of a new legal 20mph speed limit with additional warning signs, parking restrictions to improve visibility, new road signs, and new/refreshed road markings.
This is making it safer to travel to and from school, and helping the school promote walking, cycling and scooting to school – improving health, air quality and parking problems.
This successful project was constructed by contractors Kier and designed by WSP on behalf of Shropshire Council, and required local engagement with Church Preen school, residents and parents, throughout the development of the project.
As well as Church Preen 20mph speed restrictions have been introduced outside or close to a further nine Shropshire schools in the past 12 months.
Work is currently underway at a further nine schools – and will be carried out at another 12 schools during spring and summer 2026 subject to a successful statutory consultation.
Rob Wilson, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for transport and economic growth, said:
“Improving safety on the county’s road is a key priority for the council. I’m really pleased to see this work completed at Church Preen, and at nine other schools – with many more to follow soon. This is an important project and one that will benefit communities across the county in the coming years, helping to improve the environment outside schools across Shropshire. “
Chris Naylor, Shropshire Councillor for Burnell, said
“I’m delighted with the new 20mph scheme round Church Preen Primary School – it’s a highly-regarded local school, it and its pupils deserve all we can do to ensure road safety there.
“Pretty much all our local residents know about the school and take care already, but visitors to the area need to be alerted too, especially as the lanes and junctions just there take up motorists’ attention.
“Increasingly we have delivery vans and trucks through rural areas like this and this scheme will help keep those drivers alert by the school.”
On 13 March [2026] Kiri Pashley and Craig Thomas from WSP visited Church Preen Primary School – see picture – to explain to the children the purpose of the 20mph speed limit. Kiri and Craig spoke about the 20mph signs and road markings that had been placed on the school approaches to reduce vehicle speeds, about school keep clear road markings which help children see when crossing the road.
Engaging with schools as part of the 20mph Schools Programme has the added benefit of making children and parents aware of speed limit reductions and encourages them to think of highway safety.
This isn’t the first time Shropshire Council, WSP and Kier have worked closely with Church Preen Primary School. In 2019, using funds from the national sugar tax, a new running track was installed at the school.
Further information
The schools in the programme were identified following work to determine the schools and locations where a 20mph speed restriction or other safety measures could deliver real benefits, and to decide what type of speed restriction would be most appropriate.
