Okehampton Town Council will review the speed limits on rural roads as concerns rise over the number of drivers going at inappropriately fast speeds.

The move comes following the council’s consideration of survey set up by the Devon Association of Local Councils (DALC) to ask councils for their views on requesting that national laws be changed to reduce the speed limit on single-track rural roads to 30mph.

But the council questioned whether 30mph was too slow considering the roads in question did not have a large number of pedestrians and other road users. As a result, it was suggested that speeds on such roads should be limited to 40mph instead.

Cllr Jan Goffey said: ‘We have had problems with cars hurtling round corners and the problem is many roads are unrestricted. People should use their common sense but some people seem to think that “unrestricted” means they have impunity.’

The council has also discussed possible means of policing a change in speed limit on these roads.

Speed cameras, mobile or otherwise, and a regular police presence on these types of roads were suggested as potential ways of enforcing new speed limits.

If enough councils approve the proposal, the DALC may be able to approach Parliament, which is responsible for road speed limits, and request a change in policy though the association warned that this will require extensive discussions.

Currently, the national speed limit on rural roads is 60mph and is only reduced at known accident hot-spots.