Agenda item

This report advises the Executive Member of the development of a set of criteria for responding to petitions and requests for 20mph speed limits. It also looks at the work undertaken by the Council and North Yorkshire Police to examine criteria for identifying, prioritising and monitoring an additional 20mph trial site within York, including the associated costs.

RESOLVED:          That the Executive Member for City Strategy agrees to:

a)     Adopt the criteria and process for responding to petitions and

b)     Request that officers prioritise the list of streets arising from petitions and report it through the Officer In Consultation process to progress any further schemes.

c)     Implement the 20mph speed limit in the South Bank area subject to speed data complying with the DfT guidance.

REASON:                  To enable a consistent response to petitions to be progressed.

Consideration was given to a report, which advised the Executive Member of the development of a set of criteria for responding to petitions and requests for 20mph speed limits. It also detailed the work undertaken by the Council and North Yorkshire Police officers to look at criteria for identifying, prioritising and monitoring an additional 20mph trial site within York, including the associated costs.

Officers updated with speed data results collected in the South Bank area, which had shown an average of 21mph and in Nunmill Street an average of 15mph which both, fell within the criteria for prioritisation. Officers confirmed that they hoped to be in a position to report further results in the New Year.

Representations in support of 20mph speed limits was received from Anna Semelyn in support of the “20’s plenty” campaign. She raised concerns at the approach Officers were proposing and to isolated schemes, which she felt, were less cost effective and instead proposed a citywide scheme as in Portsmouth. She also questioned the criteria for prioritisation of future petitions, which required 50% of households within a street to sign such petitions.

Dee Bush also spoke in support of the introduction of 20mph speed limits on behalf of vulnerable pedestrians. She stated that bus journeys would be far smoother and more popular if a 20mph speed limit was set on residential roads in the city. She referred to other Authorities’ plans regarding speed limits and confirmed that repeater signs were also useful in raising awareness of driver’s speeds.

Andy Chase, then spoke as lead petitioner of the South Bank petition. He confirmed that there had been widespread support for this speed limit and pointed out that this was a city wide problem. He stated that radical measures were required to encourage more residents to walk and cycle.

Representations were also received on behalf of the Ramblers Association in relation to the requirement for at least 50% of households within a street to have signed the petition. He also stated that where no request had been made for a speed limit, such as Crichton Avenue, he felt that with limited resources such zones should not be implemented.

In response to these comments Officers confirmed that a number of authorities had considered citywide 20mph schemes however they had not been universally accepted at the present time. They confirmed that references made by speakers to bus companies aggressive driving would be brought to the attention of the companies concerned.

The Executive Member pointed out that a 20mph speed limit did not assist the carbon footprint, as modern vehicles were not geared to drive at this speed. He also confirmed that the Police were unable to support the enforcement of 20mph schemes as they required them to be self-enforcing and preferred traffic calming or the character of the existing roads to slow traffic.

Consideration was given to the following options:

Option one – Agree the prioritisation criteria and process for responding to petitions and requests and implement the trial site in the South Bank area.

Option two – Agree the prioritisation but do not proceed with the 20mph scheme in the South Bank area

Option three – Do not accept the criteria and continue to respond to petitions and requests on an ad hoc basis.

RESOLVED:          That the Executive Member for City Strategy agrees to:

a)     Adopt the criteria and process for responding to petitions and

b)     Request that officers prioritise the list of streets arising from petitions and report it through the Officer In Consultation process to progress any further schemes. ^1.

c)     Implement the 20mph speed limit in the South Bank area subject to speed data complying with the DfT guidance. ^2.

REASON:                  To enable a consistent response to petitions to be progressed.