CAMPAIGNERS for a 30mph speed limit in part of Arkengarthdale fear the scheme may be jeopardised by a petition.

But those who raised the petition are adamant that, far from wanting to stop the measures, they are pressing for a modified version.

Arkengarthdale Parish Council has negotiated with North Yorkshire County Council for three years for a speed restriction near the school.

Proposals have now been drawn up for a zone from the cattle grid at Raw Bank to the junction with the Stang road, near the CB Inn. The scheme is to be debated by the county council's Richmondshire area committee on Wednesday.

Objectors who believe the bank should not be included in the 30mph zone have presented a petition to County Hall. The parish council now fears it will lose the whole scheme.

The objectors say a speed limit on Raw Bank could cause problems in snow and ice, when vehicles needed a good run to get up the hill.

They also believe there is no need for a limit from Raw Bank to Langthwaite car park, a stretch with only one roadside house.

Three residents attended the annual parish meeting on March 8 to raise concerns about the petition.

The parish council wrote to all households for their views and included a tick-box survey. Results of the survey have yet to be considered by members.

Clark Stones, parish council chairman, said: "I think the petition is a very sad reflection on the intelligence of a small number of this community. There is no footpath and it is a lousy road to get off when traffic is coming. If we have an all-clear sign by the car park, which is what they seem to want, people will see that and put their foot down and could be going at 60mph or more along the most dangerous bit of road."

The full 30mph limit would add a minute at most to the journey to or from Reeth, he added.

John Hird, who backed the petition and is caretaker at the school, was strongly in favour of a speed restriction past the school and the green, but felt it should be limited to between the CB Inn and the car park.

"We agree with a speed restriction for the built-up area but, quite honestly, 30mph all the way to Raw Bank cattle grid could create problems if impatient drivers try to overtake once they are out of the built-up area," he said.

"The parish council seems to mistakenly think that we are opposed to the scheme itself, but I have written to the county council to stress that we don't want to stop it, we want to shorten it."

He believed the parish council should have surveyed households earlier, or held a public meeting to discuss the proposals