20 mph sign installed within 5 metres of a sharp right bend.
Despite massive opposition from residents, and most available evidence suggesting that wide area 20 mph speed limits have little positive effect on driver behaviour, the Council are to extend the limit into north York.
Cllr Merrett at the last Council meeting refused to delay the roll out of wide area 20 mph speed limits into East and North York.
This phase of the scheme will cost taxpayers over £300,000.
He had been asked to undertake a review of the effectiveness of the restrictions imposed on west York before wasting any more money.
He did say that he did not agree with Cllr Semlyen’s “zero consultation” approach. Not that Labour pays any attention to the results of consultation anyway.
He also said that, if the wide area 20 mph limits are scrapped after the next local elections, most of the £600,000 cost will go down the drain. “The capital funding has mostly been spent on various unrecoverable items such as labour costs, project management, plant equipment and hire, engineering fees, printing and distribution of materials etc. The poles and 20mph signs used would have some modest resale value.”
Post 20 mph speed limit Bristol residents views click to enlarge
If the new Council finds that – as has happened elsewhere – accident levels increase then they will have no option but to withdraw the scheme.
The statutory advertisement of the 20mph Speed Limit Orders for north York will take place this month, with notices being posted on affected streets.
These statutory notices will advise which streets are proposed to have new 20mph Speed Limit Orders made for them. This is a formal legal process for any change of speed limit and is required prior to implementation and erection of signs.
As with any other Traffic Regulation Order, there is the opportunity during the statutory 28-day notice period for official representations or objections to be made if there are any specific issues which it is considered should amend or stop the Order from being made.
More detailed information can be found at www.york.gov.uk/20mph
The Liberal Democrat view is that the most appropriate speed limit should apply to a road taking into account its characteristics and accident record.
If the party resumes its leadership of the Council following the 2015 local elections, it will give residents the opportunity to give residents the opportunity to decide whether the new ,limits should remain..