Bristol gets 20mph speed limit roads
Hundreds of roads in Bristol are set to be the first in the city to become 20mph zones.
Leaked maps sent to the Bristol Post show that the city council has earmarked areas of Southville and Bedminster and Easton and Lawrence Hill to be the pilot areas for the new traffic measures.
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Major roads running through these areas such as the M32 and St Philips Causeway in Easton and Coronation Road and North Street in the Southville area would be exempt.
The move was welcomed by councillors and campaigners who have been lobbying the city council for a 20mph maximum speed limit in residential areas.
Charlie Bolton, Green Party councillor for Southville, said: "Other towns, especially those with Green councillors, are already introducing 20mph zones.
"Residents like them, the streets become friendlier, and accident rates drop.
"I'm especially pleased that my own ward has been nominated for this trial, and I'd like to see it spread quickly across Bristol."
Alderman Paul Smith, a former city councillor and now Labour Parliamentary candidate for Bristol West, told the Bristol Post: "I welcome the pilot schemes as a first step towards safer roads in Bristol.
"All the research shows that, if you go to 20mph, the number of serious injuries and deaths reduces considerably – particularly, among children."
Sarah Fatica, a spokesperson for road safety charity Brake, welcomed the introduction of a lower speed limit.
She said: "We are definitely in favour, especially in residential areas where children are likely to be playing.
"Parents are also sure to welcome these measures, which will help children feel safer in their communities.
"Twenty miles an hour gives drivers enough reaction time if they need to stop and children are more likely to survive a collision at this speed."
The first three 20mph speed limit zones were implemented in Sheffield, Kingston-upon-Thames and Norwich, in January 1991 and since then, around 450 zones have been set up in the UK.
Until June 1999 specific consent from the Secretary of State was needed.
The legislation has since been changed, and local authorities no longer need to obtain the consent of the Secretary of State before introducing 20 mph speed limits.
Both North Somerset Council and South Gloucestershire Council have already introduced 20mph speed zones.
North Somerset Council has four zones – two on new roads at Locking Castle, Weston-super-Mare, and Port Marine, Portishead, and two on the Bournville and Mead Vale estates in Weston.
"We support them with physical measures to slow down traffic, such as road speed tables, chicanes and road narrowings," said a spokesman.
"The perception certainly is that these things do help slow traffic down."
South Gloucestershire Council has a number of 20mph zones, in various areas, including Emersons Green, Yate, Kingswood, Filton Avenue, Patchway and Stoke Gifford.
Speed cushions and road humps are installed and no one has been taken to court for not obeying the limits.
A spokeswoman said the result had been "a reduction in speed and accidents plus a safer environment for children to get to school".
The scheme which is due to be introduced later this month will be part of the Cycling City project, which will see £22.8 million spent over the next two years in a bid to make the city safer for cyclists.
Bristol City Council plans to launch full details of the scheme later this month and could not comment on the maps.
The 20mph zones have already won the strong backing of cyclists and green campaigners in the city.
Some roads, mostly main roads through Easton and Southville, would be exempt from the new measures.
It is a fact which has been criticised by Steve Meek of the Bristol Cycling Campaign, who says not including all roads will prevent the safety of cyclists and pedestrians in densely-packed residential areas.
Mr Meek, an Easton resident, said: "Although very welcome and long overdue, I am puzzled by the exclusion of certain through roads.
"Clearly the M32 and Easton Way should be excluded but there are many through roads which should be included.
"Mina Road and Sevier Street, both in St Werburgh's, are good examples – they cross at right angles and link up the cycle route from St Werburgh's to the northern fringe with Easton, while Mina Road is narrow and complex with shops, a zebra crossing and a park.
"The junction of Sevier Street and Glenfrome Road is busy, dangerous and traffic needs calming here. "There are shops, few safe crossing points and both a nursery and infants school in Glenfrome Road.
"Lower Ashley Road past Millpond School is another example.
"Leaving out through roads may appease the motorist but will greatly increase the amount of signage – causing confusion and increasing costs."
Kate Hartas, spokeswoman for Bristol City Council, said: "A launch of the Cycling City is planned for the end of this month and we will be revealing the entire programme at that stage.
"These are draft proposals."
You can take a look at two maps of the 20mph zones.
142 Comments
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by Glenn Vowles, vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com
Monday, January 19 2009, 10:29PM
“'There's no way that traffic obstruction will give an improvement in fuel economy' (Tom, Stroud)
Yes, you need to minimise stop/start driving and smooth traffic flow to maximise efficiency. How 20mph zones are designed is very important.
According to Shared Space thinking lower speeds and lowered obstruction go hand in hand.”
by Tom, Stroud
Monday, January 19 2009, 5:30PM
“There's no way that traffic obstruction will give an improvement in fuel economy. They force vehicles to make more stops and starts, leading to extra pollution due to the unecessary braking and acceleration.
I have a friend who lives in an area that has been subjected to a "safety" makeover. I used to drive through at a smooth 25 indicated, carefully observing for pedestrians.
Now there are rubber ramps bolted to the road, chicanes, signs and markings on the road. I have to slow to about 5mph to go over the bumps, a queue forms behind me then, so I then accelerate hard in the gaps.
It frustrates me, it annoys me, and it encourages a rebellious streak. I previouslly travelled in a safe and efficient manner. Some moron has made the process riduculously unpleasant, spent a large sum of our tax money, and not improved safety.
There is a saying "treat people like idiots and they will behave like idiots".”
by Glenn Vowles, vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com
Monday, January 19 2009, 11:42AM
“'yes i am not suggesting driving around bristol at 50mph! merely that your statement that 20mph was more economical the 30 or 40 was incorrect.' (Craig)
But Craig 20mph is more economical than 30, 40 or 50 mph around a city! Most energy and therefore most of the cost is in the acceleration and braking - there is more of this in a city and slowing down minimises it.
20mph is about optimum for dealing with congestion and thus travelling times are
optimised. It really is a myth that putting your foot down in a city will get you anywhere much faster. I was overtaken by an unsafe, inefficient driver on Temple Way only the other day, I was doing just under 30mph and he probably peaked at 40 or 50mph - I drew up alongside him at Temple Meads traffic lights!!”
by Jon Rogers, Ashley Ward
Monday, January 19 2009, 10:37AM
“I am sure that we all want to promote safe neighbourhoods and 20mph residential streets can offer a real solution.
I hope that the council will involve residents in discussions about the proposals.
For example, residents would soon point out that Mina Road should be 20mph, and that the zone should extend under the railway bridge to the streets around St Werburghs Farm. I am sure there are many other examples.
Any plans need to be worked on freely and openly with residents, businesses, cycling, motoring and pedestrian organisations.
There are potentially huge benefits from introducing such a scheme in Bristol residential areas. They include improved health, less pollution, reduced KSI (killed and seriously injured) as well as leading to happier and more friendly streets based on Josh Hart's work and others.
Finally, I don't understand why this sort of information is not freely available. Why do we need leaks to let us know what this adminsitration is up to?!
Jon Rogers
Ashley Ward Lib Dem Councillor”
by Vixen, Bristol
Sunday, January 18 2009, 10:19PM
“What ever happened to common sense? Or teaching the Green Cross Code? Shame you can't be taught common sense!”
by Shelly, BRISTOL
Sunday, January 18 2009, 10:05PM
“Isn't just G. And for once it hasn't degenerated into a car Vs cyclist/pedestrian argument.
I think we all want the same thing we just need something or someone to take the ideas on here and use them constructively to benefit us all.”
by G, Bristol
Sunday, January 18 2009, 6:54PM
“I can see your point Shelly re : reducing the number of accidents by having "designated crossing places". I think this scheme is more to do with making the residential areas "feel" safer and more pleasant rather than solely cutting down on the number of accidents.
To me "deisgnated crossing places" sounds like something that should be provided for cattle or sheep to cross a road!! I'd like to think that people should be able to cross where they feel like it (obviously avoiding speeding vehicles) rather than being told where to cross. People are humans and not robots afterall.
I think perhaps, we are seeing it from different viewpoints. Possibly, you are thinking about it from a car drivers point of view, whereas I'm thinking about it from the point of view from someone on foot as well as how a considerate motorist should behave.
Interesting though.”
by Steve, Bristol
Sunday, January 18 2009, 6:33PM
“I am enjoying this discussion. What kills fuel economy in town is not the top speed, but the stopping and starting, either in traffic or at junctions. This is why hybrid cars with regenerative braking do better in town than on long journeys.
Most dangerous road in Bristol? On a bike, A4 or Park Street. In a car, the M4, M5, M32 is most likely to be fatal. Pedestrians? Eastville M32 roundabout.”
by Shelly, Bristol
Sunday, January 18 2009, 6:29PM
“OMG. My gert long post what I wrote has vanished!
On the contrary Andy and G surely designated crossing places will provide order in chaos Everyone will know what to do. There are far less accidents on designated crossings than when people cross the road willy nilly.
Part of the problem is that people either don't know or have forgotten how to cross roads sensibly. so if we can't be bothered to use our brains then maybe we DO need someone to think for us at times
How about random spot tests for drivers and cyclists on the basics of the highway code?”
by G, Bristol
Sunday, January 18 2009, 3:33PM
“Interesting points there, Shelly. I think designated crossing points in residential areas would further give priority to motorised traffic over pedestrians and dare I say it, cyclists. This is not really what we want to achieve for a pleasant and safe environment in a residential area where children are playing, people at ease with their navigation. Priority in these areas, and in fact in the city centres, should be pedestrians then cyclists (the two most vulnerable of road users) followed by buses, then cars/vans/motorcyclists, etc.
This prioritising is prevalent in many civilised european cities. Cars give way to pedestrians, it makes for a far less hostile experience.
When I'm driving, I give maximum consideration (wide berth, let them undertake) to cyclists and even let pedestrians cross the road (on roads where it's safe to do so). In a residential street I drive with maximum caution and no 20 mph zone would be needed for me to drive considerately.
If Bedminster/Southville is 20mph zone then Clifton is the 20mpG zone!!”