20mph zones 'a waste of money'
A head teacher has urged the city council to rethink its plans to spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on 20mph zones.
Head teacher Chris Hassell said a restricted speed zone installed outside Taylor Road Primary in St Matthew's, Leicester, in 2009 made "no discernable difference" to speeding motorists outside his school as it was not enforced.
Leicester City Council wants to create more 20mph zones in residential areas at a cost of £400,000 over the next four years, to try to cut speeds and make people feel safer.
But Mr Hassell said: "I have been watching traffic travel up and down Taylor Road for the past 15 years and the introduction of a 20 mph zone on Taylor Road has made no discernible difference to the speed of traffic. Most drivers completely disregard any speed limit – in fact, many vehicles accelerate all the way down Taylor Road and lorries knock down the traffic island markers on a weekly basis.
"If we are to look at Taylor Road as an example, it is with regret that I have to say it has been a waste of money."
The council plans to install the 20mph zones in 114 road in six areas of the city – Westcotes, Belgrave West, Spinney Hill, Tudor Road, Western Road and Willowbrook Road – in March.
The Transport and Climate Change Scrutiny Commission at the council, is set to discuss the plans at a meeting on Monday following its concerns that too much money was being spent on roads where very few accidents occurred. There were in total 31 minor – and no serious – accidents on the chosen 114 roads between 2008 and 2010. The city council has already carried out a public consultation, and said 84 per cent of residents who responded backed the move, and no formal objections were received. It is not known how many people responded.
Steve Warrington, transport development officer added: "It is difficult when deciding where to dedicate spending, but I think 20mph zones are an important step in traffic calming.
"Research has shown that a speed reduction of just one mph, can mean a five per cent reduction in the number of accidents."
He added that the 20mph zones were just a part of the council's much larger strategy to improve road safety.
9 Comments
by Banksider33
Monday, February 06 2012, 5:23PM
“Roads humps are a waste of time and money, and just delay emergency service vehicles.
In Holland and Germany, I've seen low-speed zones enforced by building 'chicanes' where one vehicle has to give way and not by stupid humps. A bit like those on the Narborough Road South service roads at the Watergate Lane end.
Why not actually try alternative ways of re-engineering the road, rather than the predictable humps, which tend to be excessive and non-standard in their design.”
by FredPittwood
Saturday, January 28 2012, 4:13PM
“The Headteacher is right. Only road humps work - drivers ignore all other persuasion to look after child safety.”
by SiPLeic
Tuesday, January 24 2012, 11:43PM
“As one of the residents affected by this proposal, I can say that I have most definitely NOT been consulted. We were one of the first in Leicester to get what I call monster speed humps, guaranteed to knacker your suspension and exhaust system in record time. If I was a conspiracy theorist, I would suggest that the humps were sponsored and paid-for by the motor and after-market industries.
Some of these humps also come with their own little bit of footpath which effectively takes out two parking spaces -- my street has two such humps plus one narrowed section effectively taking out five parking spaces in an area with no off-street parking.
The monster humps caused havoc for the ambulance and fire services as untethered equipment went flying all over the place, and recently some of these monster humps have been replaced with really low humps that in my view actually encourage drivers to travel at speed -- gives you that nice queezy riding-a-roller-coaster feeling in the pit of your stomach (and groin area). What with most streets now being one-way, the centre of the road gives a nice straight run, especially going down a hill.
Time to go back to the drawing board methinks.”
by Leicslocal
Tuesday, January 24 2012, 4:25PM
“I back up the something is better than nothing view - even if it alerts drivers and makes them think having the 20mph signs is worth the cost - and its a long-term feature. Like the flashing signs saying slow down - they must have been shown to make a difference.”
by Rachel_Leics
Tuesday, January 24 2012, 12:06PM
“They can only be of use if people stick to the limit, otherwise yes it is a waste of time and money! x”
by michaelkw
Tuesday, January 24 2012, 11:41AM
“The road outside of my house has an extended ramp that is designed to enforce a 20 mph limit. It does nothing of the sort because there is no attempt to enforce the limit. Complete waste of our money, pure and simple. The road to hell is not only paved with good intentions, increasingly it is paved with ineffective "speed-bumps".”
by wwigwag
Tuesday, January 24 2012, 11:13AM
“20mph zones are not enforced they are self enforceing by the nature of the features. And due to bus companies and ambulance service requirements the type of features are restricted.Oh and Mr head teacher anything that makes it safer is better than nothing. Derrrrrrrr?”
by Graham_LE8
Tuesday, January 24 2012, 10:53AM
“Once again it takes someone unconnected with the council's traffic management policymakers to state the obvious - the schemes, no matter how much support you can demonstrate for them statistically, unless they are policed stringently (and the limit enforced) then they are no use whatsoever.
The same can be said for bus lanes, areas of the town where only certain vehicles are permitted, and main thoroughfares where parking & loading isn't allowed during rush hour...”
by chemistman
Tuesday, January 24 2012, 10:40AM
“If road restrictions aren't enforced then they are worse than useless as they give pedestrians a misleading view of their own safety when walking in the area (I call on Horsefair Street and Charles street in the city centre as examples, though I hope the recent decisions to put up cameras will change matters for the better).”