Hertfordshire County Council Conservatives Block Cheap and Simple 20mph Speed Limits

Herts County Council’s Highways Panel has voted in favour of a new speed management strategy that will make it harder to introduce new 20mph speed limits.

At the moment, to introduce a 20mph limit without humps or similar traffic calming, the existing speeds must be 25mph or below in at least 90% of the roads covered. The new strategy changes this to require existing speeds below 24mph in every single road. It also introduces a policy of removing new 20mph limits if speeds remain too high after they have been installed for a year.

Liberal Democrat County Councillors proposed an amendment allowing 20mph limits in all suitable residential roads (the council has already done the work to define which roads are suitable) but Conservative councillors voted this down.

Liberal Democrat County Councillor Steve Jarvis said,

“The council says that it wants more people to walk and cycle but that depends on making people feel safer when doing this. Although 20mph limits don’t make everyone drive at 20mph the evidence shows that they do reduce traffic speeds. Every county councillor knows of roads and neighbourhoods where there is widespread support for speed reduction. Yet it seems that the Conservatives want to make it as difficult and expensive as possible to introduce 20mph limits that make our roads safer.”

Liberal Democrat County Councillor for Tring, Nick Hollinghurst and Dacorum Borough Councillors, Sally Symington and Nigel Taylor issued their own statement,

“This is a disappointing and perverse backward step. It is widely accepted nowadays that 20 mph is the default speed limit in residential areas and on roads which pass schools. There is ample evidence going back over 20 years to show that lower speeds in residential areas produce a a calmer, quieter ambience. Background noise, levels of stress, pollution and carbon emissions are all reduced. Social interaction, walking, cycling, and a sense of well-being are all increased. General levels of activity including childhood play, active travel and exercise also rise with consequent improvements to mental and physical health in the areas.”

“20 mph zones are popular and effective. We call upon the Herts County Council Cabinet not to accept the Panels proposed restrictions.”