Frustrated residents and councillors have slammed a "bizarre" decision to scrap plans for 20mph zones on certain roads in a Leicestershire town.

Leicestershire County Council has been consulting on plans to introduce 20mph limits on various roads in parts of Ashby, with the limit proposed for roads such as Market Street, South Street, Kilwardby Street and many others.

However, town councillors have hit out at what they call a "bizarre" decision to remove some roads previously touted as potential future 20mph zones.

Wood Street, Nottingham Road, Derby Road, The Callis, Smisby Road, Burton Road and Prior Park Road were all previously included in proposals, but have all since been removed – something Ashby Town Council has called "significant and unexpected".

Cllr Tom Stanley told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the town council has called on county highways bosses to revert to the previous proposals following much concern and confusion in Ashby.

County officials said that "stakeholders" had raised concerns about the size of the scheme, leading to the removal of some streets, but Cllr Stanley has hit out at the move.

He said: "It made it one contiguous area rather than what we've been proposing now with bits missed off.

"You've got cul-de-sacs at 30mph, but the main junction is 20mph.

"It just seems a bit bizarre that they've got rid of a load of anomalies, then create a load more. We've certainly had residents on Wood Street who were quite annoyed with it".

The LDRS spoke to residents on Wood Street and to 65-year-old Paul Hackwood, who said he believes it should be reduced to 20mph.

He added: "There are lots of children on this road and there's not even a crossing on one of the most dangerous junctions in the county.

"Reducing it to 20 would make all of us feel quite a bit safer. Clearly if you don't live in Ashby, 30mph is a good idea.

"But if you live here and your children are here, 20mph is a much better idea".

Mr Hackwood said the county council should provide evidence that it shouldn't impose 20mph limits on Wood Street and other areas of the town.

He said: "It would be good for county councillors to spend some time here and see the problems that we face. Some days I can't even get across the road of people coming down here".

Mr Hackwood also said he believed that speed limits on Wood Street and in the wider part of Ashby needed to be properly enforced, even if the 20mph limit went ahead.

However, not everyone believes that 20mph roads should be introduced.

Logan Eddy, 23, who lives adjacent to Wood Street with his parents, said: "I don't think 30 is a bad speed.

"I wouldn't consider people who wouldn't go quickly anyway if it were a 20.

"I've not particularly noticed too many people going quickly. Even if it doesn't become 20, it's not going to stop those speeding late at night from going over the limit".

A Leicestershire County Council spokesperson said: "The scheme has been developed following local concerns and in line with speed limit guidance.

"We are now consulting with the community and stakeholders including Ashby Town Council, local businesses and residents to seek their views on the proposal.

"Feedback received will be used to decide how we take the scheme forward."