Councils drive plans for 20mph zones forward despite criticism

Sheffield Council is the latest authority to press ahead with limit reductions which have been unpopular with motorists groups, with York Council enforcing its first 20mph zone later this month.

The move has sparked intense debate in York, where the pilot area will be South Bank. York Council has set aside £500,000 to fund the introduction of a city-wide 20mph limit by 2014.

In Sheffield, the zones are to be introduced in each of the city’s seven “community assembly areas” with streets with the highest accident totals targets at a cost of around £300,000.

Council officers said once the first seven areas had been implemented by March 2014, the introduction of future 20mph schemes would be prioritised based on their accident records.

In both York and Sheffield, councillors have said the 20mph limits will only involve new signage, and will not include other “traffic calming” measures such as speed humps.

Sheffield’s first zones will be in Walkley, Woodthorpe, Parson Cross, Stocksbridge, Lowedges, Charnock and Crookes.

The move still requires the approval of the council’s cabinet highways executive committee when it meets next Monday, but this is expected to be a formality because the general policy has already been agreed.

In a report to the committee, by Simon Green, the council executive director in charge of highways, said: “All households within the prospective area will receive a leaflet explaining the long-term aims and short-term limitations.

“Residents will be invited to comment on, or object to the introduction of a 20mph order. Objections would be reported to a future meeting of the committee.”

Mr Green said South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, which is responsible for the county’s public transport, had lent its support, and added discussions were ongoing with police over enforcement.

It is hoped to include any 20mph limits work within the recently announced £2bn Streets Ahead scheme where possible, under which private contractor Amey will replace every road in Sheffield over the next five years.

Anna Semlyen, a York councillor and spokesman for the national 20s Plenty For Us campaign said the introduction of 20mph limits in her home city had been supported by more than 80 per cent of residents.

But she said that Sheffield Council’s approach was “disappointing and illogical” and added that the best way to make an impact was to introduce a the reduction on all roads at the same time.

She added: “Several councils such as Portsmouth, Oxford and Islington have introduced what we call a default 20mph limit, and while York did not have the resources it will be default by 2014.

“I think Sheffield’s approach is wrong. I understand the council may be trying to be fair but it is not logical, nowhere else is adopting that approach”.

Coun Semlyen said people who argued that 20mph limits were not a good use of money argued that the saving made by reducing accidents would mean zones paid for themselves “within weeks”.

She added: “Cities which have 20mph limits have seen a 22 per cent cut in casualties; the savings made would pay for a £500,000 scheme in a month or six weeks.

“People who say a 20mph limit won’t make any difference to accident figures are also wrong – if you see a hazard at 20mph you can stop within two car lengths, at 30mph its six car lengths.”

The 20mph campaign has been criticised as “anti-car” by motoring groups, which claim most drivers read road conditions and set their speed accordingly.

Figures released by the Department for Transport last month also suggested accident figures had actually increased in 20mph zones in 2011.