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Islington Tribune by - PETER GRUNER
Published: 19 September 2008

20mph zone wins majority backing

THE introduction of a 20mph speed limit throughout the borough has won new supporters.
Islington Council’s north area committee was told last week that 61 per cent of residents who responded to a survey in Whittington Park and St George’s area of Archway voted for a new 20mph scheme. There have been 27 road accidents resulting in injury in the area in three years.
About half the borough has a 20mph scheme, including Barnsbury, Highbury Grove and Dove Road area. The aim is to curb “racetrack” drivers, thereby cutting accidents and pollution.
Lib Dem councillor Andrew Cornwell said that since 2000 the number of people killed and seriously injured on Islington’s roads had fallen dramatically. “Former ‘racetracks’ like Liverpool Road can now be negotiated more safely by pedestrians and cyclists,” he added.
Better Archway Forum member Jan Tucker called for efforts to control buses which she claimed drove at speed into the depot off Junction Road. “The drivers obviously want to get home as quickly as possible, but they drive far too fast through heavily built-up streets, putting the lives of children particularly in danger,” she added.

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THE popularity of the proposal among the public is good to see.
A current civilizing trend in towns is for the authorities to calm traffic in residential areas. Apart from the obvious safety benefits it makes these living areas more pedestrian friendly. However in spite of the popularity of calmer traffic there are some commonly held negative views regarding 20mph areas which are usually based on misconceptions or misapprehensions.

"20mph is too slow for most traffic." In fact, in most residential areas, the average speed will already be below 30mph. Government guidance for road planners in the recently published Manual for Streets stipulates that all residential areas should be governed by 20mph limits

"20mph limits require road humps which are a nuisance". As stated above the average speed in residential areas is likely to be just over 20mph. At this low average speed, the law permits the provision of 20mph areas without road humps. The need for physical measures to slow traffic will become less urgent when the new culture of slower speeds is established and accepted.

"If the average speed of traffic is already low why do we need 20mph zones?" Accident statistics show that the death rate resulting from a collision between a car and a pedestrian is nine times higher for 30mph than it is for 20mph. But a major benefit of a slower speed in residential areas is that the environment is improved for the residents, the street becomes more of a 'place' than a traffic conduit.

"20mph zones are already provided near schools. Why do we need them elsewhere?" Pedestrians are vulnerable whatever their age and children do not disappear when remote from schools.
Good luck to your local efforts.

James Wishart MICE, Northampton