Cheshire Police have u-turned over the enforcement of recently introduced 20mph speed limits in Sandbach town centre after initially saying they wouldn't do so.

A post on the Sandbach Police Facebook page last week said: "There is current confusion around the 20mph limits around the town centre.

"From our perspective, we won't be enforcing these unless the school 20mph signs are flashing until given further notice."

They then asked anyone with enquiries about the speed limits to take them to Cheshire East councillors.

However, the police have backtracked on their initial post following questions from Sandbach Nub News.

Superintendent Jo Marshall Bell, Head of the Roads and Crime Unit, said: "I understand that the message posted may have caused concern in the local community and I want to reassure residents that we do enforce 20mph speed limits in line with the national guidance.

"This means that the 20mph speed limit is treated exactly the same as any other limit, and anyone who breaches this could face 3 penalty points and a £100 fine."

The 20mph zone was introduced in the town centre as part of Cheshire East Council's raft of 'active travel' measures in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

A council spokesperson told Nub News: "Local authorities are empowered to take measures that make our roads safer for pedestrians, cyclists and users of public transport in a way that encourages more people to reduce car dependency. The introduction of 20mph zones is an important tool within that policy."

The spokesperson would not respond directly to the police's initial Facebook post, but did add: "We routinely consult with the police concerning all the measures we are taking under the active travel programme that affect our highways and road users."