A community is feeling ‘optimistic’ that change will happen as a campaign to get a blanket speed limit across a town makes headway.

The campaign '30 For Thetford' was launched by the Safer Thetford Action Group (STAG) earlier this year in an attempt to see a blanket 30mph speed limit enforced across the town.

This followed the death of Thetford man, Cliffy James, who was struck and killed by a VW camper van on August 22, at the junction of Mundford Road and Croxton Road, a notorious crossing in the town where the speed limit is 40mph.

On Wednesday, October 2, chairman of STAG Mac Macdonald spoke to members of Thetford Business Forum at a breakfast networking event, asking for their support ahead of an important meeting with Norfolk County Council's highways, which will determine whether the change will go ahead.

Mr Macdonald said: "Whilst I'm cautiously optimistic, if it doesn't happen we will continue with the campaign because I think that there is a need for it. Statistically you are less likely to die if you are hit at 30mph. We will just find another avenue to take it. We have to push for it."

Previous attempts to reduce the speed limit across the town have been unsuccessful due to the high costs, but now Roy Brame, Thetford Town Councillor for the Castle Ward, says they may have found a way to make it happen.

Mr Brame said: "We put it to the business forum in the hope that we wouldn't receive any objections. If we did that would have been the end of it because of the potentially high legal costs if it went to court.

"To cut expenses we are looking into a single traffic order for everything, so the statutory speed of the roads can be changed.

"But everyone seems to be behind this campaign and I will be reporting that back to highways. I am feeling a lot more optimistic."

Mr Brame will be meeting with highways at Norfolk County Council October 11, where he will present all of the support from the town.

He added: "These roads have speed limits for a reason and you have to have a community sense that they need change otherwise it won't happen.

"But you just don't know until the powers that be say yes. Hopefully they can give me a steer in the direction that we will see these changes, and Thetford becomes a 30mph town."