The Labour controlled Council has published details of the boundaries for the new 20 mph speed limit that it intends to apply to most of west York.
Some of the roads in the Dringhouses area – at known danger spots such as school entrances – already have 20 mph limits. Other roads are too short for vehicle speed to be an issue.
Major roads like Moor Lane, Chaloner’s Road, Tadcaster Road, Thanet Road and part of Gale Lane are to be excluded from the proposed 20 mph limit.
Proposed 20 mph speed limit roads. click to enlarge
However some bus routes (Acomb Wood Drive and Ryecroft Avenue) are included.
Most complaints about motorists exceeding the existing 30 mph speed limit arise on roads like Moor Lane and Tadcaster Road.
On Acomb Wood Drive the council has recently declined to take action to stop the significant proportion of drivers who exceed the 30 mph limit.
There is a contradiction in approach here which is likely to antagonise many motorists.
No detailed costings for this phase of Labours 20 mph policy have been published. We know, though, that every entry point into a 20 mph area will have to be signed and that frequent repeater signs are legally necessary.
Our view remains that residents DO want the existing 30 mph limits to be enforced but DO NOT want the Council to spend £600,000 on introducing a 20 mph limit which will have little practical effect.
This is supported by responses to the recent survey, which we included in Focus, where 72% of respondents opposed a “wide area” 20 mph limit.
There is a meeting on the subject taking place in Dringhouses tonight when the main advocate of the new limits – Cllr Semlyn – will be explaining herself. The meeting is taking place at Woodthorpe Primary School on Summerfield Road. There is a “surgery” at 6:00pm with the meeting proper starting at 7:00pm