Controversial plans to hike-up the speed limit on the ‘dangerous’ approach to Harras Moor have been scrapped amid safety fears.

Highways chiefs had proposed the 30mph restrictions starting closer to the built-up area, which they said would prove “more effective and enforceable”.

Stephanie Davis-Johnston, the county’s Traffic Management Team Leader, told a meeting of the country council’s local committee that this would “better reinforce the need for a speed limit at that point”.

But coun Chris Whiteside said he was “very unhappy” with the proposals and asked if the speed limit could be kept as it was to address safety concerns.

He said he understood the difficulty in enforcing the lower limit but described the road as “narrow”, “restricted” and “not safe to drive down” even at 30mph.

“And if you allow people to go up to 60mph while they are going along this short stretch of road, some of them won’t slow down fast enough by the time they’re in the built-up area,” he said.

Coun Graham Roberts also likened some of the drivers speeding through Harras Moor to “demons” and “lemmings”, criticising them for their “absolutely sheer unadulterated stupidity”.

He said: “Staying within the speed limit is not within their vocabulary. They want to go faster and faster. There was one Range Rover going down the declivity of hill and I thought he was going to land in the dock. I have never seen anybody drive as fast.”

However, other changes included as part of the speed limit review were all agreed.

These are: to extend the 40mph limit north of Rowrah for another 1.5km towards Lamplugh on the A5086 amid concerns over a series of blind bends, junctions and other hazards; and to introduce a 30mph speed limit throughout Wilton, now subject to the national speed limit.

Proposals to introduce a 40mph limit north-west of Drigg for around 1km towards Seascale, where the national speed limit now applies, and to extend the current 30mph limit on the western approach to Millom for another 60m were also voted through.

So too was the proposal to introduce a 40mph limit on the southern approach to Holmrook on the A595 for around 400m where the national speed limit now applies.

The plans have already been out to consultation.