More of Bath city centre likely to come under 20mph speed limit
More of Bath city centre could be subject to a 20mph speed limit later this year.
Council chiefs want to bring in a blanket limit on non-A roads in the central part of the city as they progress a £500,000 programme aimed at cutting road injuries.
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20mph
Many smaller streets in the centre - including Walcot Street - are already covered by a 20mph zone.
But Bath and North East Somerset Council wants to extend the regime to take in roads such as Great Pulteney Street, James Street West and North Parade Road.
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The main roads around the edge of the city centre such as Upper Bristol Road, Lower Bristol Road and Pulteney Road would be excluded.
A council consultation exercise has now been launched, running until March 15, with a leaflet about to be distributed to homes in the area.
Cabinet member for transport Councillor Roger Symonds (Lib Dem, Combe Down) said: “Bath city centre is the busiest location for traffic in our area. The council is proposing to take action on making many of the streets safer for people on foot and who use bicycles. This will create a more pleasant, attractive environment for people to live, work, and visit. We hope people will have their say on our proposal.
“The statistics are on our side. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents estimates that a pedestrian has a 90 per cent chance of surviving being hit by a car at 20mph, falling to a 50 per cent chance at 30mph and to ten per cent at 40 mph.”
The council has already introduced new 20mph limits in Southdown and has been consulting about Larkhall and Peasedown St John.
The concept has been welcomed by police.
Chief Inspector Simon Ellis said: “Generally we welcome the concept of 20mph in built-up areas. Reducing the speed of motorists in built-up areas has to be a good thing and I have no doubt that it will make these areas safer places.
“I am hoping that drivers will take responsibility for the speed of their vehicles and adjust their driving habits accordingly. My officers will work alongside the council ensuring we raise awareness of the new speed limits and encouraging drivers to embrace and adhere to the new speed limits.”
The council says no traffic calming will be installed in the city centre, and that new signs will be unobtrusive.
There is information about the timetable and proposed order for introducing the limits on the council’s website on www.bathnes.gov.uk/20mphspeedlimit, or people can email transportation@bathnes.gov.uk or call 01225 394041.
18 Comments
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by safeandnice
Monday, April 01 2013, 7:46PM
“cllr ben, wheelie bin isnt suggesting you should wait for an accient before introducing a speed limit. The question is will introducing a speed limit make the road safer? The problem is that introducing a 20 limit where accident rates are already low is likely to increase the risk of an accident ( see report on 20mphs in London). 30mph is already likely to be the safest limit for the road.
So yes the best way of generating an accident so you can justify new speed limit is to reduce a 30 to a 20 in a low accident area.
When that happens will you put the limit back to 30 ( and say oh dear to those involved)”
by highspeeder
Monday, February 25 2013, 8:54PM
“In this age of austerity £500,000 is a lot of money to waste on a unenforceable scheme. But hey, it's a Lib Dem initiative and money wasting is what they do best.”
by Mr_Nemo
Friday, February 22 2013, 8:12PM
“"Personally, I'm more worried about the number of people using mobile phones whilst driving and changing gear..."
Indeed. I was held up in a traffic jam in Combe Park one day caused by a delivery driver trying to reverse his lorry into one of the properties close to the traffic lights. Apart from trying to negotiate past parked cars, through a narrow entrance way barely wider than his vehicle, he was doing it all one-handed while using a mobile in the other! If he had actually put the phone down and concentrated on his driving with BOTH hands, he could have managed it in half the time.....”
by wheelie_bin
Friday, February 22 2013, 8:05PM
“Cllr Ben - you can infer whatever you like. I'm commenting on using statistics as some random justification. Using those same statistics, then 20 mph is clearly too fast as 10 percent of pedestrians will not survive.
Personally, I'm more worried about the number of people using mobile phones whilst driving and changing gear, oh I've seen some incredibly stupid driving whilst I cycle. It doesn't matter what speed they are doing, they can still cause me damage”
by aurea_flamma
Friday, February 22 2013, 7:50PM
“Jelbert - well said - Unfortunately this scheme isn't a safety scheme its a neighbourhood improvement scheme - They are quite content to continue with your and other children at risk and unseen by motorists combined with little space to give them more room for safety.
They will use the argument that when they are hit at 20 mph it will hurt less - I would sooner they weren't hit at all.”
by Jelbert
Friday, February 22 2013, 4:49PM
“We live in Oldfield Park and 30mph is too fast for our narrow winding roads. One child (that I know of) has been knocked down and another had a near miss in the last year.
I also don't think you actually get anywhere any faster driving through the centre at 30mph than you would at 20mph due to the traffic lights & jams!
Red arrow if you like, but for me the issue is my children's safety.”
by rogerh3
Friday, February 22 2013, 4:36PM
“Plenty were found to be exceeding 30 mph in Walcot Street when speeds were recorded.”
by Imp-Act
Friday, February 22 2013, 4:18PM
“I think anyone would be classed as very lucky to be 'able' to drive at 20mph in the city center! Most of the time the speed is anything from zero to a crawl!”
by rogerh3
Friday, February 22 2013, 3:53PM
“Look at Pulteney Bridge..."
Perhaps you should before claiming that the signs are unobtrusive. How much clearer could they be:
http://tinyurl.com/aply95k
.”
by spadat1259
Friday, February 22 2013, 3:44PM
“Not sure what the fuss is about. Most of Bath has been working at "20 mph" for years. So why not traffic?”