A CAMPAIGN is up and running to make eight Worcester streets 20 miles-per-hour zones - with residents saying the area has seen too many "near misses".

Around 50 householders have signed a petition calling for speed limits to be slowed down in and around Brittania Square, near The Tything.

The campaign has been backed by both the Royal Grammar School and the Chestnut Walk pub, and calls for lower speed limits in Tennis Walk, Somerset Place, Cumberland Street, Lansdowne Street, White Ladies Close, White Ladies Walk, Little London and Lansdowne Road.

Rosie Henderson, 33, a sales executive who lives in Tennis Walk, is leading the petition and plans to present it to Worcestershire County Council next month.

She said: "I live around the back of Royal Grammar School (RGS) and there's been six near misses over the last year.

"I'm surprised nothing's been done about this before now so I started pounding the streets getting signatures, the RGS has signed it and the pub."

Ian Roberts, the RGS bursar, has written a letter in favour of the move saying "the school fully supports the initiative", adding that school bosses have seen "a number of near misses over the years".

The campaign has also won the support of Green Party Councillor Matthew Jenkins, who represents the area at County Hall.

The county's Safer Roads Partnership generally backs lower speed limits, but says a whole package of measures would be needed to make it a success.

A spokesman said: "Local speed limits should not be set in isolation - they should be part of a package of other measures to manage speed which includes engineering, education, training and publicity."

On Thursday, July 9 a petition will now be presented at a full council meeting calling for the move to be introduced.

It follows a vote last month on making 20mph the default speed limit in residential areas across Worcester, which was rejected.

But the council says it will consider this petition once it is handed in.

A spokesman said: "The county council is happy to receive feedback from residents. "As with all petitions, we will review this once it is received and respond accordingly."