Residents are getting behind a campaign to adopt a 20mph speed limit for their picturesque village.

Hundreds of people have signed a petition for Abbotsbury to become a 20mph zone throughout as the village becomes the latest place to join the nationwide ‘20’s Plenty for Us’ movement.

Laura Jones, who instigated the campaign, is hoping to present the signed petition to Dorset County Council’s member for transport Daryl Turner to instigate a law change.

She said: “I recently moved from London to Abbotsbury. Coming from a big city to a tiny village like Abbotsbury you don’t expect it.

“Vans and cars go at crazy speeds up the rat run that is my back street. I have a five-year-old daughter and I can’t let her play out in the street as it’s too dangerous.”

20’s Plenty for Us is a national not for profit organisation which supports villages and cities across the country in their campaign to adopt a 20mph limit.

The organisation works alongside the World Health Organisation and the UN to conduct evidence-based research supporting their message that 20mph should be the default speed limit on residential and urban streets.

“For example, they figured out that seeing a 20 restriction in a red circle is psychologically proven to slow drivers down,” Laura explained.

“They found that speed bumps don’t actually slow people down as people get annoyed with them and speed up between each of the bumps.

“Enforcing a blanket 20mph zone is also proven to bring down the national speed limit elsewhere as people get accustomed to it and reduce their speed naturally.”

In just a few short weeks Laura has gathered more than 160 signatures and soon hopes to meet with the strategic director for public health Stephen Hill and Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill to discuss her findings.

Plans are also in the pipeline to host a '20’s Plenty for Us' fun day in the village to gather momentum and raise awareness of the campaign.

Laura said:"It is for everyone in Abbotsbury. Traditionally it has always been an older person's village and there are still a lot of elderly people who live here who might not be so quick on their feet.

“But, in the last couple of years a lot of young families and children have also moved here and it's becoming dangerous."

To support the campaign or find our more visit '20s Plenty For Abbotsbury Village' Facebook page.