Labour councillors have secured a review of the Council’s policy and implementation of 20mph zones in Barnet following a member’s item from Labour councillor, Geof Cooke, at this week’s Environment Committee (30 June). The member’s item said that:
“Residents across the borough are requesting 20 mph zones to increase road safety. The evidence shows that pedestrians are five times more likely to die if hit by a car travelling at 30mph than 20mph and stopping distances almost double between 20mph and 30mph. Lower speed can also improve traffic flow and reduce particulate emissions. I therefore ask that the Environment committee receives a report on how it can be made easier and quicker to introduce 20mph zones in Barnet where this is requested by residents. This report should then feed into Barnet’s road safety strategy and overall long-term transport strategy.”
There was agreement that where 20mph zones had been agreed implementation should be sped up, but the Conservative councillors on the Committee refused to commit to making it easier to implement 20mph zones where residents were calling for them. Some Conservative councillors claimed that there is evidence that 20mph zones are not effective in improving road safety.
Cllr Cooke said:
“I welcome the Committee’s agreement to review 20 mph zones and the support for speeding up the implementation of agreed zones. It’s disappointing, however, that the Barnet Tories are still dragging their feet over getting more zones agreed and that some Tory councillors don’t think that a 20mph limit improves road safety.
“We will continue to push for the policy to be changed so that it’s easier to get zones agreed in hot spots where residents are calling for them.”
Ends.
Notes:
- A copy of Cllr Cooke’s member’s item can be found here: https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s59137/Members%20Items.pdf
For more information contact: