Residents call for Sheffield streets to be added to 20mph zone over serious accident fears
Safety fears over serious accidents have led to Sheffield residents calling for an extension to a 20mph zone in Norfolk Park.
The calls come as a separate group of residents repeated their demands for a crossing on the Manor, saying there have been “four serious accidents and multiple near misses” since January.
Richard Jeffrey appeared at a meeting of Sheffield City Council’s transport, regeneration and climate policy committee last week (July 15) to call for 20mph speed limits to be extended to include Shrewsbury Road and Talbot Street, part of the B6071.
Nearby roads are included in a 20mph Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) for Arbourthorne.
Mr Jeffrey said: “Both are first and foremost residential roads and must be considered as such for highways decision-making.
“These streets and their people deserve all the benefits a 20mph speed limit offers, just as much as streets already including in the TRO proposal.”
Collisions
He said the junction of the two roads with Norfolk Road is on a blind corner and the brow of a hill. “It has been the site of numerous collisions, including those which have caused serious injury.”
New Manor Castle ward councillor Coun Ruth Abbey told the meeting beforehand that she had been involved in setting up the 147-signature petition as part of her election campaigning.
Committee chair Coun Alexi Dimond replied: “As set out in the Sheffield 20mph speed limit strategy of March 8, 2012, Sheffield City Council’s existing policy is to make “suitable” residential roads subject to a 20mph limit.
“Under this policy, certain roads have been excluded such as A-class and B-class roads. Shrewsbury Road and Talbot Street are B-class roads and consequently are not currently deemed suitable for inclusion.
“However, the council is reviewing its 20mph policy following adoption of Vision Zero, so this may change.”
Vison Zero is a council strategy to cut all road deaths and serious injuries, with a target of halving the number by 2030.
Frustrating
Coun Dimond said a revised 20mph policy was set to be discussed by the committee as soon as possible, hopefully by the end of this year.
“In the meantime, we will consider speed management measures, including the introduction of vehicle activated signs, to improve compliance with the existing speed limit,” he added.
Dr Ignatius Ezeani spoke on behalf of residents of the Eclipse Estate on the Manor, who are campaigning for a pedestrian crossing on Harborough Avenue.
He said: “Since we sent the initial request 6 months ago – January 14, to be precise – on Harborough Avenue, we have recorded more than four serious accidents and multiple near misses including one yesterday.
“This is, to say the least, frustrating.
“We would therefore like to know what it would take (hopefully not a life!) to prioritise action in this area given the high number of recent incidents.” Coun Dimond responded that the area has not yet scored highly enough to make a crossings priority list. The council has only a limited budget for imporovements.
Resident Kateryna Li also asked for urgent action at Harborough Avenue.
She said: “We fear it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured. Children are frightened to play outside or cross the road, and many residents worry that a vehicle could lose control and crash into one of our homes.”