SPEED limits could be slashed in parts of South Craven to make the roads safer for children.

Twenty miles per hour speed limits can now be introduced in areas where children could be at risk from traffic.

North Yorkshire County Council has £38,000 to spend on implementing 20 mph zones.

And bids have been submitted for a slice of the cash in South Craven.

Spearheading the campaign is county councillor Irene Greaves.She has put forward a range of schemes, including:

Cowling - Gill Lane, outside the school, and Collinge Road.

Cononley - Aire View and Cross Hills Road.

Kildwick - Priestbank Road, outside the school.

Farnhill - Grange Road.

Bradley - Skipton Road, outside the school.

"The schemes outside schools are important because many of them don't have pavements outside and the children are coming out onto main roads," said Coun Greaves.

"The other areas need looking at to slow down the traffic because we know that many drivers in 30mph zones travel at around 37mph."

County Coun Tim Cole, chairman of the council's area highways committee, said officers had been asked to look at areas outside all schools, including those in Sutton and Glusburn.

North Yorkshire highways' Bill Isherwood revealed there were two ways 20 mph zones could be introduced.

"If the speed of the traffic travelling on the specific roads is 24 mph or less then we can simply install signs quickly and cheaply," he said. "However, if the speeds are greater than this then we have to look at installing traffic calming measures to bring the speeds down."

Mr Isherwood added that both ideas would have to get the backing of the police and be put out to consultation.

And he said areas with high casualties were being put to the top of the list.

A police spokesman told the Herald that 20 mph could be difficult to enforce.

"When we're trying to enforce the 30mph restrictions we're finding that speeds are up in the high 30s or early 40s," he said.

"We're trying to educate people into driving below 30 with hard-hitting campaigns, but that doesn't seem to work. If 20mph zones were introduced then it would be better if traffic calming was installed, but that also presents its own problems."

Residents in Cononley have already voted to impose a voluntary 20mph speed limit through the village.