City drive for 20mph zones to cut accidents

Sheffield Council announced yesterday that it will investigate implementing 20mph areas “where needed” across the city in a bid to reduce the number of children killed or injured on the city’s roads.

The first stage will be putting in the new zones around Sheffield’s infant and primary schools, which will cut the speed limit from 30mph to 20mph.

Following on from this, Sheffield Council will then be looking at implementing additional 20mph areas in residential areas across the city where there is a “sensible case” for them.

Coun Leigh Bramall, Sheffield Council’s cabinet member for transport and the environment, said: “We want to keep the city’s children safe but we certainly don’t want to cause an unnecessary headache for motorists.

“A lot of the ‘20’s plenty’ ethos is around drivers simply adjusting to their surroundings.

“This isn’t about slapping a 20mph limit near all housing.

“It’s just simple common sense, it’s about what works for that road.

“What we want to do is to look at implementing 20mph areas around schools first.

“I think everyone can agree that driving with caution around schools should be a given.

“We also want to make sure that we make any changes as efficiently and cost effectively as possible.

“With that in mind we will be looking at how we can deliver 20mph areas via the forthcoming highways PFI contract.

“This is about delivering a legacy of safety for children in our city.”

A report is expected to be considered by the council’s cabinet committee in the autumn, to decide upon how to take the proposed review forward.

A Sheffield Council spokesman said that the changes will take place in the current financial year.