Issue - items at meetings - Response to the report of the Environment & Community Safety Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 'An Investigation into 20 mph speed limits/zones'

Report of the Acting Director of Environment (copy attached).

(1)         That the Cabinet Member notes the evidence, findings and recommendations of the Environment & Community Safety Overview & Scrutiny Committee and its scrutiny panel in relation to 20mph speed limits and zones.

(2)         That the Cabinet Member notes and agrees the actions detailed in the officer response to Scrutiny’s recommendations (Appendix B) with particular regard to timescales and any constraints identified.

43.1    The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Acting Director of Environment responding to the recommendations of the Environment & Community Safety Overview & Scrutiny Committee’s panel on ‘An Investigation into 20 mph speed limits/zones’.  The findings and recommendations of the review were contained in Appendix A to the report.  These findings had been considered by officers and a full response to all the recommendations was contained in Appendix B.  A number of council departments, local and national organisations and groups were invited to submit comments and the Panel also heard evidence from numerous groups and organisations as listed in Appendix C.

43.2    The Cabinet Member explained the Environment & Community Safety Overview & Scrutiny Committee had recognised the need for a consistent and structured approach to the application of 20mph speed limits and zones within the city.

43.3    Whilst the Cabinet Member welcomed the good work that had gone into the report and its recommendations, there were significant resource issues for the City Council that would need to be considered against other priorities.

43.4         The Cabinet Member invited Councillor West, who had chaired the scrutiny panel, to introduce the panel’s report.

43.5    Councillor West was pleased to present the report from the Scrutiny Panel.  He thanked everyone who had given evidence and his fellow Panel Members, Councillors Bennett, Mitchell, Watkins and Wells, along with the hardworking professional officers.  The supporting evidence had extended to over 130 pages.  

43.6    Councillor West explained that the Panel had heard evidence that slower speeds needed to be used on residential road and areas used most by vulnerable road users; however, as traffic in the city needed to be kept moving, it was proposed that main through routes should not be included in the speed reduction initiative.   The Panel had further heard evidence that a reduction to 20 mph would help to reduce casualties for all road users and would reduce the burden on the emergency services and hospitals. 

43.7    Councillor West referred to an area-wide 20 mph scheme introduced in Portsmouth which had led to a reduction of accidents and casualties.

43.8    Councillor Mitchell considered that the case for lowering speeds was made very clearly in the report.  Trunk roads that ran through the city were not recommended for 20 mph reduction.  The recommendations were sensible and she was disappointed in the executive response.  She understood that the proposals were expensive but would like to see more commitment to start the process.  She would like to see work commencing on the first area, when the Speed Limit Review report was presented to the Environment CMM in November 2010. 

43.9    Councillor West referred to the response from officers to the first recommendation of the Panel.  He considered the response to be ambiguous.  The Assistant Director, Sustainable Transport explained that the first recommendation would lead to 80% of the city having 20mph limits.  The cost would run to several million pounds.  School safety zones would be taken forward but 20 mph zones might not be the solution for other areas where a safety scheme may be more appropriate.   

43.10  Councillor Mitchell referred to recommendation 4, and stated that there was no intention to introduce a 20 mph scheme to 80% of the city, in one phase.  An incremental introduction was intended. 

43.11  Councillor Randall mentioned that the ward he represented already had a 20mph scheme.  Any research carried out on that scheme on the reduction of accidents, might prove useful to the proposed scheme.

43.12  The Assistant Director, Sustainable Transport agreed that in general,  research had shown that it did pay to invest in traffic calming schemes but there was a significant cost involved. 

43.13  RESOLVED - That having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet Member accepted the following recommendations:

(1)         That the evidence, findings and recommendations of the Environment & Community Safety Overview & Scrutiny Committee and its scrutiny panel in relation to 20mph speed limits and zones be noted.

(2)         That the the actions detailed in the officer response to Scrutiny’s recommendations (Appendix B) be noted and agreed, with particular regard to timescales and any constraints identified.