rodk wrote:We have never called for "every urban road to be 20mph" or that 20mph limits are a panacea. There will always be local differences of opinion regarding roads to be included or excluded. It is entirely appropriate that this should be decided by the local Traffic Authority taking due note of its statutory duties, government guidance and local conditions, including any objections or support from members of the public.
Rod, we will have to disagree with this - that is not what comes across from a 3rd party perspective.
20 is enough is quite a clear brand message
you talk about wanting to change the reference point so that 20 is the default for residential / urban - not 30
exactly which bit of that fits with what you say above...
If you were doing what you put in the paragraph above I would support what you do - with the evidence of what you have posted so far on here, and the content of your website - your current campaign should not be supported - it is too blunt an instrument without enough finesse...
rodk wrote:Recent and current pre and post implementation 20mph engagement is about presenting the case that we all become better and more considerate drivers that make communities better places to be when we reduce our pace and speed on streets. It doesn't make anyone an "expert" or advanced" driver but I would suggest that any engagement programme which encourages drivers to be more aware of their surroundings and their interaction with it is a positive one. I would trust that this is totally in line with the objectives of this group.
That is a sensible way of putting it... and I am sure you would find 100% support for that desire...
It is simply that blanket 20mph coverage is not the right tool - just read the comment from stressedDave above (a very experienced driver - with a lot of experience of road accident issues) to see the clear misuse of 20mph limits in some places...
If I look at my village - c. 3-400 houses and c. 1,000+ people / a church, pub and primary school (to which many children walk / scoot / cycle) and where we are also a cut through for traffic / gravel lorries / etc. in one part of the village - there is a clear need for discussion about speed - however I would absolutely fight any blanket 20mph approach - it is totally un-necessary in big parts of the village... there is a housing area with no through-access where it could be very logical, and possibly a stretch of road by the school (during school time - would be irrelevant now in the holidays...) so variable limits there, a section of permanent 20 the other end of the village, and probably chicanes on two entry roads to slow down the gravel lorries coming from a NSL, would be a very intelligent answer to speed in this locality - and I suspect that for every locale the same finesse / thinking is needed - and it is hardly difficult...
when you change your campaign to recognise that, to argue for keeping 30mph in some places - for increasing elsewhere where relevant, and reducing to 20mph,
or lower where it is best suited - then I would join you in what you campaign for - but while it is a simplistic and inaccurate message of 20 is enough and therefore 20 everywhere, then I will oppose it as being illogical, and not fit for purpose
Alasdair