|
|
 |
| |
DRIVERS FACE 20MPH LIMIT
Green Party councillor’s radical plan to put brakes on motorists
A REVOLUTIONARY scheme to make Islington the first borough in the country to have a blanket 20mph speed limit could be only one vote away from reality.
The borough’s only Green Party councillor, Katie Dawson, plans to use her unique position in the council – where the ruling Lib Dems have a lead of only one over the Labour opposition – to bring about a dramatic change to the Islington’s roads.
Cllr Dawson has already secured the support of Labour leader Catherine West, who has seconded a motion to be presented to the next full council meeting, and if the rest of Labour follow suit, she will only need one Lib Dem vote to win.
As well as converting all roads under the council’s control to 20mph, Cllr Dawson wants the council to talk to Transport for London (TfL) about extending the limits to the borough’s main arteries, including Holloway Road, Seven Sisters Road and Old Street.
But her scheme has already riled at least one resident.
Peter Oborne, who lives in Highbury, said: “It’s daft to include Holloway Road. I’m quite sympathetic for it to be 20mph in residential roads, although I don’t like those bumps. It’s wicked, wrong, reckless and irresponsible to go over 20mph in residential roads where children play.”
Mr Oborne, a Daily Mail newspaper columnist, added: “I don’t like cars very much, but it’s absurd, half-witted in the extreme to introduce it in major roads. It’s a profoundly stupid idea. Seven Sisters Road is a main road – a dual carriageway. There’s no reason at all if the road’s empty that you shouldn’t go down it at 50mph.”
Cllr Dawson said: “Everyone knows a 20 mph limit means fewer deaths, serious injuries, less noise and less pollution. Parliament has recommended 20mph zones, the mayor is in favour, all we need now is for a council to show leadership and get on and do it.”
Earlier this year a Green Party motion to introduce higher charges for 4x4s and other heavily polluting vehicles received unanimous backing from Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors and a referendum of Islington residents. It came into force earlier this month.
Cllr Dawson said: “Having a single speed limit for the whole of Islington should be easier for drivers than asking them to look out for speed signs on each individual street.”
She has won the support of Clerkenwell resident Norman Beddington, of Campaign for Better Transport, a public transport pressure group, who said: “It would be a very good idea. I can’t see any real problem. We know 20mph zones cut accidents and emissions.”
But environment chief Lucy Watt gave the concept a cautious welcome.
She said: “The Liberal Democrats have done lots of work to introduce 20mph zones to huge parts of Islington. We’re implementing new areas every year but we need the police on side to enforce it.”
A TfL spokesman said: “Introducing 20mph speed limits, which currently are enforced by physical barriers such as road humps, makes less sense on major trunk roads where it would disrupt rush-hour traffic.” |
 |
|
| |
| Your Comments: |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
|
