Responding to reports (1) that the government will be reducing speed limits in residential areas and around schools, the Green Party has pointed ot the leading role played by Green councillors around the country - and has called for the government to go even further.
The party's deputy leader Adrian Ramsay - leader of the opposition on Norwich City Council, where the first phase of a new scheme covering dozens of streets is to begin operating on Monday 20 April - said today:
"We welcome progress on measures to cut accidents, and Green councillors around the country have long been pushing hard for this. But if the government is serious it should go further."
"Lower speed limits outside schools are essential, but Greens are calling for full-blown Safe Routes to School programmes everywhere, which involves a more comprehensive approach to keeping school children safe."
The Safe Routes to School package involves a joined-up approach, assessing the most appropriate measures for a given school, ranging from rearranging junctions and crossings to ensuring the best possible provision for cycling and walking. Transport consultant and Lancaster Green Party councillor Professor John Whitelegg said today, "You can implement a package like this for as little as £60,000 per school. If you do it for several neighbouring schools at once, the benefits reinforce one another. If we did this everywhere we'd make school travel safer and we'd cut morning peak-hour traffic by 10%."
Green successes
Residential speed restrictions have been an area of success for Greens in local authorities around the country:
Further examples are below. A local elections briefing note, spelling out the case for 20 mph zones, can be found at: http://www.greenparty.org.uk/reports.
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Notes
1. See eg http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5176593/20mph-limit-to-cut-road-deaths.html.
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20 mph Yes vote in York
"A ballot of some 250 households in a group of York streets has produced a clear majority of 70.5% in favour of a 20mph speed limit for Grange St, Grange Garth, Rosedale St, Levisham St, Hartoft St, Farndale St and Lastingham Terrace. An amazing 49% response rate was acheieed, as a result of close involvement of the local Green Party councillors and door knocking by local residents to remind occupants to return their forms by the deadline. This return was in spite of many households being student houses, suggesting that the majority of families in the area voted. 25.9% voted No and 3.6% said they didn't know."
Cllr Andy D'Agorne, York Green Party
... and Maidstone
"We had a similar response in Maidstone, with 70% out of 400 households wanted 20mph. We are launching our "20mph Maidstone" next Saturday (25th April) with a couple of large 20mph signs and car stickers / leaflets to hand out, and an online petition."
"We have set up: http://www.20mphmaidstone.org.uk as our campaign site."
Stuart Jeffery, Green parliamentary candidate for Maidstone
Safer Journeys in Essex
"20mph near all schools has been an Essex Green Party policy for many years, written into our county manifesto. Green Councillors in the Witham area have helped set up, implement and secure funding for Safer Journeys schemes."
Cllr James Abbott, Witham & Braintree Green Party
Borough-wide scheme in Lewisham
"Here in Lewisham we got the Mayor of Lewisham to support our proposals for a borough-wide 20mph zone, and to push to be one of the London pilots, but unfortunately we got a change of London Mayor that scuppered our plans somewhat:
http://lewisham.greenparty.org.uk/localsites/lewisham/news/mayor-joins-20mph-lewisham-lobby.html
http://lewisham.greenparty.org.uk/localsites/lewisham/news/london-mayor-does-not-support-lewishams-bid-to-become-first-20mph-borough..html
Cllr Sue Luxton, Lewisham Green Party