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Speed trials could lead to 20mph limit
ENFORCEMENT of 20mph zones in Sheffield could be carried out if trials of new speed cameras in London are successful.
The cameras are similar to those in use on the Stocksbridge bypass and calculate a vehicle's average speed.
Coun Ian Auckland, cabinet member for transport, revealed Sheffield Council is keeping an eye on whether the cameras are successful.
And he added he is putting pressure on police to consider enforcing the 20mph zones.
Currently, Coun Auckland said police "do not enforce the zones, which they do not consider to be a priority."
He said the council was also interested in extending 20mph zones using "psychological measures", such as absence of road markings and making the road layout less clear to slow down drivers, rather than road humps.
At present, 20mph zones are only set up after changes are carried out to the roads, such as humps and chicanes.
A campaign to reduce the speed limits on residential streets in Sheffield to 20mph is being spearheaded by the Green Party and community groups.
It will be discussed next month at the Sheffield On The Move forum, which offers representatives of transport groups and the public the chance to air their views on transport with the council.
Already parts of Sheffield, such as in Nether Edge, are designated 20mph zones but the Greens want to go much further, extending the lower speed limits to all residential areas.
Green Party council candidate for Central Ward Rob Unwin, who has been at the forefront of the local '20's Plenty' campaign, said: "As a parent of two small children I successfully campaigned for traffic calming on my street. But it took years.
"In Sheffield we still suffer from over 200 serious road casualties annually and the evidence indicates that reducing speeds to 20mph could significantly reduce this figure.
"Despite 100 potential 20mph Child Safety Zones identified in the city, only two are going ahead each year because of the high cost of the required traffic calming measures.
"However, the Government has just announced that councils no longer need to include humps or other measures in their schemes.
"This means that we could have a 20mph speed limit on all residential roads as they do in Portsmouth and are considering for Bristol, Hull and parts of London."
The council has passed responsibility to its community assembles to decide "what is best for their area with regard to 20mph speed limits on residential roads".
But Mr Unwin said: "This will mean a slow and piecemeal introduction of 20mph speed limits, which will delay road safety improvements, be more confusing for motorists and reduce the other benefits from the pedestrian strategy."
Local Green Party leader Coun Jillian Creasy said: "In these cities the new speed limits have encouraged walking and cycling, especially for the elderly and younger children, but only increased the journey time of a 15-minute car journey by just one minute."
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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