Some have asked Devon County Council about the difference between 20 mph zones and limits - here's DCC's response:
20mph limits are:
“introduced on roads where speeds are already low and generally traffic calming features are not needed”.
And 20mph zones are:
“usually introduced in Urban Areas over several streets and normally be supported by traffic calming in order to make vehicles speeds self-enforcing to 20mph. In a 20mph zone there is also no need to sign or light traffic calming features, which would otherwise have a negative impact on the residential street scene”.
In Devon a 20mph Speed Limit or Zone can be considered in cases where all or most of the following apply:-
• - used by high numbers of pedestrians and cyclists
• - where there is a speed-related casualty record.
• - where average speeds are already low or traffic calming will be introduced.
• - where signing and traffic calming will not damage the environment.
• - a School Travel Plan supports the proposal.
Interested in what they said constituted a 20mph zone!
Especially "In a 20mph zone there is also no need to sign or light traffic calming features, which would otherwise have a negative impact on the residential street scene” as it is only by increasing physical traffic calming measures and/or street signage is the ONLY way DCC can make 20 mph zones compliant and able to be enforced
When they were first introduced (in Cowick in 2000)20 mph zones needed
(1) a gateway sign at each and every entrance to the zone
(2) physical traffic calming measures (humps, chicanes, bends greater than 70 degrees, etc) no more than 50m from any point within the zone - in practice that means no more than 100m between any physical traffic calming measure
This is of course very expensive so some 2 years ago, the Govt changed the regulations so that as long as the zone had ONE physical traffic calming measure, the others could be replaced by a 20mph repeater roundel or a 20mph carrriageway roundel.
Even despite this relaxation, many if not all zones within Exeter, were not meeting the regulations, so were not compliant with the legislation and able to be enforced.
Pressure by myself and others have forced DCC to carry out an audit to see which zones care legal.
On this audit, DCC have said:
“Having carried out a city wide review of 20mph limits and zones we have advertised a new traffic order. This order is purely to make simple changes to ensure that the TRO is updated to reflect what is on site.
Where a limit is proposed to be removed from the historical order, this is because a 20mph limit or zone has not been signed on site and speeds are already very low (generally below 20mph) due to the roads affected being short/cul de sac style, so there is no need for a 20mph limit to be signed on site.
This is in line with the County Council’s aim not to add signing clutter to the network, especially where there isn’t a key justification. We are inviting comments on this proposed order which must be submitted by 7 November.”
I've heard from DCC that the contractors have finished the Broadway zone, but when I followed up around there I found several stretches where there was more than 100m between physical calming measures and/or zones. So they are STILL not compliant or enforceble
So as a consequence of the audit they found that several road where not signed properly since the zones were introduced (in Cowick's case, since 2000)
In Cowick this covered Franklyn Drive and Orchard Gardens
For various reasons, DCC have decided to approach each of these streets in a different manner - put in the proper signs along Franklyn Drive because there are some speed humps in place; officers think that drivers could never go above 20mph in Orchard Gardens and so have decided not to put up signs, and let it revert back to 30mph "by virtue of street lighting"
This upsets me - for over 2 years I have been saying that ALL residential roads - other than the major routes of Cowick Lane, Buddle Lane and Dunsford Road - are 20 mph. This is what I had been told WAS the case - now due to errors in the past this will not be the case in the future.
I'm sure there are similar cases all around Exeter.
I've also seen some correspondence from DCC which suggests that 20 mph can be enforce even if all the roads within a 20mph are not compliant - I am not convinced of that argument and would not like to see it pursued in a court of law.
No comments:
Post a Comment