Moves to introduce 20mph speed restrictions across Oxford are gathering pace, as residents in Jericho celebrate victory in their "20 Is Plenty" campaign.

Carey Newson, holding the sign, and Sam Phibbs, left, Seb Hartzell and Toby Quickenden are happy with the new 20mph speed limit planned for Jericho, Oxford

Three areas are earmarked for lower limits, and councillors say more could follow if the new slow zones prove a popular success.

Better road safety is the aim but some critics predict greater pollution and con- gestion.

The police will not enforce the new speed limits.

Homemade signs displayed in windows and gardens helped persuade the county council's Oxford Transport Strategy (OTS) steering group to agree to residents' 20mph demands for Jericho.

The Jericho slow zone will be bordered by Beaumont Street, the Oxford canal, Bainton Road, and the area up to, but not including, Woodstock Road.

Meanwhile, residents of south Oxford have welcomed the city council's central, south and west area committee's decision to back a 20mph zone for Wytham Street and adjoining side-streets off Abingdon Road.

The county council will now review the proposal.

These schemes are set to be introduced at the same time as a 20mph zone in the city centre. This is a county council pilot scheme, already approved by its executive, to see if motorists will obey a 20mph speed restriction without road humps or police enforcement. Only signs and road markings will be used.

Cyclox, a group campaigning for safer cycling conditions, is pleased but the plans are not universally popular.

Graham Jones, a spokes- man for Rescue Oxford, which is opposed to the OTS, warned slower vehicles would belch more pollution.

He said: "In residential areas, where there are relatively short roads, 20mph zones can make some sense. The concern we have about it in the central area is that traffic moves pretty sluggishly anyway."

Colin Cook, city council executive member for economic development, planning and transport, is in favour of extending 20mph zones across Oxford.

He said: "People are now well aware of the strong link between vehicle speed and the severity of injury caused in accidents.

"Such speed limits can but help reduce the number ofdeaths and serious injuries on Oxford's roads."

County council executive member for transport David Robertson said his council, as highway authority for the city, said that although more slow zones could follow, there were no plans for a 20mph limit across the entire city.

"One has to remember that the police will not enforce a 20mph limit. They have instructions from on high only to enforce 30mph. It's a an issue of manpower," he added.

Carey Newson, 45, a transport consultant, of Jericho's Kingston Road Safety Group, said: "There's a lot of rat-running and we are hoping cars will be less inclined to drive down here as a result of this." Mother-of-three Maria Radford, of Wytham Street, said reducing limits was a start, but changing the attitude of wayward drivers without enforcement would be difficult.

Money from a £350,000 casualty reduction budget will pay for the central zone, which will be implemented early next year. The Wytham Street zone is likely to be part-funded by contributions from developers in return for planning permission to redevelop 222-224 Abingdon Road and 60-70 Wytham Street.