E&E | Devon County Council carries out major review of 20mph zones in Exeter

Thursday 31 October 2013

Devon County Council carries out major review of 20mph zones in Exeter

By Exeter Express and Echo  |  Posted: October 30, 2013

Devon County Council carries out major review of 20 mph zones in Exeter

Many, according to Paul Bull, city councillor for Cowick, were not compliant with Department for  Transport guidelines and were thus unenforceable.

Now, however, the county council has advertised a new traffic order for them and residents have until November 7 to comment on the scope of them.

A spokesman for the county council 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 or 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 November 7.”

The spokesman added that in Devon a 20mph speed limit or zone can be considered in cases where all or most of the following apply:

• It is 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 and

• a school travel plan supports the proposal.

Paul Bull, city councillor for Cowick, has been campaigning for a 20mph limit in all residential streets and said: “Some two years ago, the Government 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 the county council to carry out an audit to see which zones were legal.

“I’ve heard from the county council 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 enforceable.

“Also as a consequence of the audit they found that several road where not signed properly.

“In Cowick this covered Franklyn Drive and Orchard Gardens.

“For various reasons, the county council has 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 more than two years I have been saying that all residential roads – other than the major routes of Cowick Lane, Buddle Lane and Dunsford Road – are 20mph. 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."

Some more thoughts on 20 mph zones in Exeter

Once again, I've been contacted by people about the recent official advert in a recent Express and Echo  relating to the new Traffic Regulation Order, Devon County Council (Various Roads, Exeter) (20 mph Zones and Limits) Order

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.

Is Cowick's "Broadway" 20 mph zone now enforceable?

Earlier this week, I was informed by Devon County Council Highways officers that works specified by them following an audit process in the Broadway 20 mph zone have been completed.

They say that they have yet to check this on the ground before final sign off.

Just to see what they have done, I spent 30 minutes on Sunday pacing out the physical calming measures, 20 mph repeater roundels and 20 mph carriageway roundels to see if I think they meet the necessary regulations to enable Devon & Cornwall to enforce the 20 mph speed limit.



To be compliant there must be at least one physical traffic calming measure - speed hump, speed table, chicane, bend over more than 70 degrees , etc as outlined under Direction 16 of TSRGB 2002 [see previous blogs!] AND no point of the zone can be more than 50m from
(1) a physical traffic calming measure set under that same Direction 16; or
(2) 20 mph repeater roundel; or
(3) 20mph carriageway roundel 

Here's what I found:

Broadway

Gateway to speed table just before LP 2 = 68

To speed table  just before PL 4 = 100

To speed table just before LP = 153

This more than exceeds the maximum of 100m between any 2 measures under direction 16

To LH bend = 76.

Bend to flats = 77

Possibly 20mph repeater outside 108 not needed here, and could be placed elsewhere as it is within 50m of other measures

To repeater outside 124 = 89

To Cowick Hill = 33

Greenway

To LH bend = 54

To right angled flats = 102

As the bend is probably NOT 70 degrees in 32m inner radius, I would question the valisity here

Littleway

All valid

Vuefield Hill

To LH bend = 69

To garage outside 23 = 75

Both these stretches are probably non-compliant

Cowick Hill

From Stanway cul-de-sac to roundel outside 127 = 92

Cause for concern

To Broadway Hill = 50

To roundel outside 107 = 60

If a junction is not classied as a bend of not less than 70 degrees, this stretch would not be valid

To table = 44

To roundel on LP 6 = 124

This more than exceeds the maximum of 100m between any 2 measures under direction 16

To table = 72 outside 49

to LH bend = 32

To table = 41

To parkway = 18

To table = ??

　

Parkway

To hump = 48

To roundel outside 29 = 77

To hump outside 50 = 99

To roundel outside 68 = 85

To end of CDS = 66 but close to 90 degree bend on BW

　

Orchard Hill

From Cowick Hill to roundel  = 44

from Parkway to roundel = 51

From my paced measurements I see at least 5 stretches that probably do not meet direction 16.

I wonder if DCC's Highways officers is agree?

Can the 20 mph speed limit be enforced in Cowick?

As you are aware from previous blogs, even before joining Exeter HATOC I have taken a very proactive role in promoting 20 mph zones withon Cowick and Exeter.

 

I raised the matter at the Exeter meeting on 19 April 2012.

 

During my presentation to that meeting,I was trying to oultine my understanding for the regulations surrounding 20 mph zones I was stopped by the chair at the time, Cllr Andrew Leadbetter, who said that my understanding of the regulations had been superceded by new guidance that had been previously covered by the committee.

 

My subsequent research led me to that new guidance contained within the Road traffic Regulation Act 1984 - Sections 64 and 65 Special Directions signed on authority of the Secretary of State by a Delegated Official in the DfT on 17 October 2011 [GT50/035/0024].

 

 

As a resut of this research I asked under Standing Order 23 (2) the matter to be discussed at the Exeter HATOC meeting held on 18 April 2013.

 

I was very sorry to miss this discussion due to unavoidable work commitments, but was gladden by minute 179 Review of 20 mph Limits and Zones in Exeter, and in particular the resolution:

It wss MOVED by Cllr Leadbetter, SECONDED by Cllr Westlake and

RESOLVED that the action to ensure that 20 mph Limits and Zones within Exeter were compliant with current Department for Transport signing standards be supported.

 

At the subsequent meeting, held on 23 July 2013, although unminuted, it was confirmed that the audit of 20 mph zones had been completed and it was agreeed that local ward councillors - both County and City - would be informed on what was needed to make zones within their wards compliant.

 

Having not heard anything on this matter by 19 August 2013, i asked to be given a status report.

 

I was informed in an e-mail by Adrian Jelfs [Assistant Senior Traffic Engineer] that only 2 roads in Cowick needed attention to bring both 20mph zones in Cowick into compliance - Broadway and Bowhay Lane 

 

I raised some issues with some other roads mentioned in that e-mail which were not actually in my ward.

 

On 03 September, I recieved notification form Adrian Jelfs that the contractor had now completed the requisite works and an e-mail exchange ensued to confirm that the level of signing in all areas of Cowick [including Bowhay Lane and Barley Lane] will be in accordance with the regulations and it is anticipated that all of Exeter’s 20 mph zones and limits will be “signed off” for enforcement around the end of November

 

To me this means , as well as at least one traffic calming measure as defined in Drection 16 (2) of 2002 TSRGD, that also no part of the 20mph zone bounded by Barley Lane- Nadder Park Road / Isleworth Road / Buddle Lane / Dunsford Road is NO MORE than 50m from:

a traffic calming feature as defined in Direction 16 (2) of the 2002 TSRGD; OR

a sign shown in diagram 670 in schedule 2 of the 2002 TRSGD [namesly a 20mph repeater roundel]; OR

a sign shown in diagram 1065, when varied to "20", in the 2002 TSRGD [namely a 20mph carriageway roundel]

 To put this in practice, I would believe that there should should never be more than 100m between any of the 3 measures 

[p14 of DfT Circular 1/2003]

 

My understanding is that unless ALL these conditions are in place, the zone is NOT valid and compliant and so is unenforceable by the police. So even if the stretch of, say Bowhay Lane is correctly signed or calmed, if somewhere esle in the overall zone isn't correctly signed or calmed, then the police cannot enforce the speed limit in Bowhay Lane

 

As I was not convinced that all these provisions were in place, today I undertook a ward walk that told about 90 minutes

 

My observations were that several roads are NOT correctly signed or calmed.

Nadder Park Road

From top of cul-sac to first repeater roundel = 196 paces

From 1st roundel to 2nd roundel = 235 paces

I believe at least another 5 repaeater roundels or carriageway roundels need to be added

 

Barley Lane

From 2nd roundel on Nadder Park Road to junction with Barley Farm Road = 37 paces

The 20mph reapeater roundel on bus stop on Barley Farm Road means that this small stretch is compliant
From Barley Farm Road to telepgraph pole = 132 paces

NB there is only a repeater roundel on the Sylvan Heights bound side, should one be placed on lamp-post 14 on the other side of the road 
Perhaps carriageway roundels  should be painted by the SLOW carriageway sign?

From telegraph pole to Croft Chase = 37 paces

The 20mph repeater roundel near the top of the rise menas that this small stretch is compliant

From Croft Chase to lamp-postlamppost outside 58 Barley Lane = 37paces

From lamp-post outsie 58 Barley Lane to lamp-post 10 on other side of road = 77 paces

Lamp-post 10 to lamp-post 7 opposite bus stop = 118 paces

This makes it close to 200m between repeater roundels and on this fact alone means the whole zone cannot be enforced

My suggestion would be to paint carriageway roundels either side of the Balrley Lane School zig-zags
From lamp-post 7 to speed table outside Sylvan Heights = 24 paces

To first speed hump = 45 paces

To second bump = 63 paces

To gateway = 60 paces

This bottom stretch is compliant 

 

Barley Farm RoadOther than a 20mph repeater roundel on the bus stop near Barley Lane the whole of Barley Lane is deficient in the necessary measures.

This means many points ar more than 50m from a necessary measure

Berkshire DriveNone of the necessary measure

This means many points ar more than 50m from a necessary measure

 

Wentworth GardenNo measures
50 pacess from Bowhay Lane to 83 Wentworth gardens
+50 paces from 83  Wentworth Gardensto rear of Dorset Avenue properties

This means many points ar more than 50m from a necessary measure

 

Myrtle RoadThere is 1 physical traffic calming measure but then
100 paces to top
Then 80 long top
the. 80 down to Oak Road

This means many points ar more than 50m from a necessary measure

 

I am concerned that with my observations made today that zones within Cowick are, despite assurances from Devon County Officers, are still not compliant.

 

And with that I question the accuracy of the audit and review process throughout the other 17 wards covering the city.

 

I had asked Devon County Council for sight of the audit/review survey carried out in Cowick?

 

In addtion, there appears to be no new interventions along Bowhay Lane and so I have asked for confimation on what the contractors were required to do here to bring this street up to compliance standard?

 

Not having visited the Braodway, Cowick Hill 20mph zone I have no comments yet on whether I beleive this zone had been made enforceable.

 

 

COWICK WARD NEWS | February 2013

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