HEREFORDSHIRE'S newest parish council will take on the might of Whitehall to rush through a speed limit.

The initiative is earmarked for part of the A465 Belmont Road by the end of this financial year.

But Phil Edwards, chair of Belmont Rural Parish Council, says that's not soon enough.

He sees the issue as something his authority, barely two months old, can get its 'baby teeth' into.

Councillor Edwards said members would take matters 'all the way to Whitehall' unless the scheme was accorded urgency.

Concern at accident rates for a stretch of road between the Tesco store and Belmont Abbey came to a head last year.

Some safety work is already underway including resurfacing, pedestrian barriers, and improved 'slowdown' warnings.

An extended 30mph-speed limit, however, will take longer to implement.

A spokesperson for the Highways Agency, responsible for trunk roads, said an order would be in place by the end of this financial year.

For Councillor Edwards, though, delay is unacceptable.

"This makes me angry, its time to get things moving. You really feel like getting out there and doing it for yourself," he said.