A plan to introduce 20mph speed limits to parts of Surbiton could finally come to fruition after months of political wrangling.

Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors have been at loggerheads since the autumn over implementation of the limits, which will cover areas near schools north-west of the town centre.

Lib Dems on the Surbiton neighbourhood committee in September had originally voted through plans for restrictions in St Mark's Hill, Claremont Road, Surbiton Hill Road, Surbiton Road, Balaclava Road, Adelaide Road, Brighton Road and Avenue Elmers.

But Conservative councillor Richard Hudson called for the limits to be outside schools only, and invoked a little-known constitutional power to drag the matter before a full Kingston Council meeting in November.

Council officers said setting the limits outside schools only would have created "confusing anomalies" and caused drivers to slow down and speed up for short periods.

A new plan has now been devised and councillors will vote on it at a meeting at 7.30pm on Wednesday, January 21, at Dysart School.