20mph - KCC just don't get it

After the 20mph protest and coverage in Fant Ward last April our Green MEP, Keith Taylor wrote again to Kent County Council calling for 20mph limits. Despite all the lobbying and explanation, KCC still don't get it - this is from the reply from Cllr Bryan Sweetland:

20mph is about social engineering not traffic engineering. It is about changing society's attitude towards our streets, not putting down speed humps or building chicanes. It is about improving the quality of life, reducing emissions, making roads more people friendly and saving money and lives.

The Department for Transport started consulting on its new guidance for local speed limits last week. Just to point out four key paragraphs:


20 mph limits covering most streets in Portsmouth have demonstrated that it is possible to introduce large-scale 20 mph limits in some built-up environments. Traffic speeds in most of the streets treated were relatively low (less than 20 mph) to start with. The early evidence suggests that it is likely that some speed and casualty reductions have taken place...


There is clear evidence of the effect of reducing traffic speeds on the reduction of collisions and casualties, as collision frequency is lower at lower speeds; and where collisions do occur, there is a lower risk of fatal injury at lower speeds. Research shows that on urban roads with low average traffic speeds any 1 mph reduction in average speed can reduce the collision frequency by around 6% (Taylor, Lynam and Baruya, 2000). There is also clear evidence confirming the greater chance of survival of pedestrians in collisions at lower speeds.

Important benefits of 20 mph schemes include quality of life and community benefits, and encouragement of healthier and more sustainable transport modes such as walking and cycling (Kirkby, 2002). There may also be environmental benefits as, generally, driving more slowly at a steady pace will save fuel and reduce pollution, unless an unnecessarily low gear is used. Walking and cycling can make a very positive contribution to improving health and tackling obesity, improving accessibility and tackling congestion, and reducing carbon emissions and improving the local environment.

Based on this positive effect on road safety, and a generally favourable reception from local residents, traffic authorities can, over time, introduce 20 mph zones or limits into:

• Major streets where business on foot is more important then slowing down road and
• Lesser residential roads in cities, towns and villages, particularly where this would be reasonable for the road environment, there is community support and streets are being used by pedestrians and cyclists.