Tag Archives: 20 Mph Limits

New Transport Secretary Has Delusions

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The new Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh, has said the Labour Government will invest “unprecedented levels of funding” in cycling and walking as a way to improve health and inequality. She apparently thinks this could cut GP appointments “by hundreds of thousands, if not millions a year”. This is delusional.

The general population is fitter than it has been for a long time with increases in cycling and other forms of exercise. But the number of GP appointments and demand for medical services is rising. Why? Because the population is ageing, a minority of people are too fat because of addiction to junk food and people also have higher expectations of the NHS.

She also said: ““We’re in a climate crisis. We’re in a public health crisis; getting people walking and cycling and moving more are essential to solving both of those in the immediate term and in the long term”.

She is also quoted in the Independent as saying “Ms Haigh dubbed the last government’s approach to 20mph speed limits, cycle lanes and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods “ridiculous” after it launched criticism of so-called “anti-motorist” policies. She apparently does not want central Government interfering in what should be local decisions. But we’ll surely end up with lunatic schemes as we have seen in Wales, in several London boroughs and in the policies of TfL and Sadiq Khan. For example, this comes despite a recent YouGov survey indicating that 70 per cent of people in Wales – which last year imposed a 20mph speed limit in built up areas – opposed the policy. Meanwhile, 40 per cent admitted to regularly breaking it.

I suggest Ms Haigh needs to reconsider but this is the kind of dogma we see from socialist politicians who think they know better than the public and like to impose their views on others. Labour is rapidly losing popularity since the General Election and this is the kind of reason why. Practical considerations and scientific evidence are ignored – for example 20 mph limits have not improved road safety figures.

Throwing money at new cycle lanes will not solve the underlying health problems of a minority of the population and claims about tackling a “climate crisis” are simply ludicrous. But is seems the war on the motorist is going to be escalated.  

Roger Lawson

Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/aug/20/labour-investment-cycling-walking-unprecedented-louise-haigh

Independent article: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/20mph-speed-limits-louise-haigh-b2599608.html

BBC Article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9v8d4lvjryo

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Crackdown on anti-driver road schemes and blanket 20mph limits

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The Department for Transport has published draft statutory guidance for councils on low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs), setting out that they must gain buy-in from local residents, businesses and emergency services when considering implementing new LTN schemes. The new guidance will come into force this summer. For details see https://www.gov.uk/government/news/crackdown-on-anti-driver-road-schemes-and-blanket-20mph-limits-to-put-local-consent-first

The change in policy is supported by a report on LTNs and these comments: “While the review showed only a quarter of people understood the benefits of LTNs, it also flagged concerns over the impact on disabled residents, high numbers of penalty charge notices, the cost of LTN schemes and even concerns from emergency services that delays to crews caught up in LTNs could “potentially risk lives”. The new guidance aims to prevent councils having to reverse poorly-implemented or locally unpopular schemes – as with recently removed LTNs at Jesmond, Newcastle and Streatham Wells, London”. For the report see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/low-traffic-neighbourhood-review .

A consultation will also be launched this summer on measures including the removal of local authorities’ access to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) data to enforce such schemes by camera. This would put a stop to councils generating income from camera enforced schemes and is surely to be welcomed.

The DfT have also published new guidance on setting local speed limits – see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/setting-local-speed-limits/setting-local-speed-limits . This looks quite reasonable but will TfL or local councils actually pay attention to it? That seems unlikely as they have recently introduced 20 limits on quite inappropriate roads in the name of road safety without any evidence to support their views.

Roger Lawson

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Drivers_London

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Record Fines for 20 MPH Speeding

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The Times has reported under a headline that there are “Record fines for 20mph speeding despite PM’s pledge to scrap zones”. Motorists received more than 216,000 fines for travelling between 20mph and 30mph in 2023, four times more than in 2018. London is a particular problem area. The Met alone has issued 595,000 of the fines — the equivalent of one ticket for every four cars registered in London — amid a crackdown on speeding initiated by Sadiq Khan as Mayor.

There is no correlation between lower speed limits and reduction in road casualties. So why is this campaign to lower speeds being pursued? To finance the police is one reason as they do benefit from speed awareness course fees despite denials.

But it’s also just a symptom of the general attack on the use of private vehicles by those like cyclists who would like them removed from our roads or forced to drive no faster than a cyclist.

How do we get sanity returned to our roads? Voting Mayor Khan out in May might help.

Times article: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/35635115-22b8-438e-bce5-fae72b20723d?shareToken=005028e1f6f33aa934779508d4be2bed

Roger Lawson

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Rishi Sunak Speech and 20 mph Limits in London

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Rishi Sunak’s speech at the close of the Conservative Party Conference is surely to be welcomed by all those who use our roads and want rational economic decisions to be taken. It included this statement on HS2: “I am ending this long running saga. I am cancelling the rest of the HS2 project. And in its place we will reinvest every single penny, £36 billion, in hundreds of new transport projects in the North and the Midlands, and across the country. This means £36 billion of investment in the projects that will make a real difference across our country. We’ll help Andy Street extend the West Midlands Metro… Build the Leeds tram, electrify the North Wales main line…Upgrade the A1, the A2, the A5, the M6 and we’ll connect our Union with the A75 boosting links between Scotland and Northern Ireland. We’ll fund the Shipley bypass, the Blyth relief road and deliver 70 other road schemes. We’ll resurface roads across the country”.

So we should be getting some improvements to congested major roads even if money is to be wasted on tram systems which are rarely justified on a cost/benefit ratio.

Meanwhile in London Sadiq Khan is putting up two fingers to the Government’s commitment to halt irrational 20 mph speed limits. Transport for London (TfL) will introduce 65km of new 20mph speed limits within the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Lewisham, Southwark, Wandsworth, Merton, Bromley and Lambeth. The new speed limits will be introduced in stages over the last four months of the year.

TfL is also working with the Met Police to increase their capacity to take enforcement action against drivers and riders who speed. They are currently on track to be able to take action on a million speeding offences by 2024/5, to provide a more effective deterrent to speeding.

A 20mph limit will be introduced on sections of the following roads:

A232: West Wickham High Street (scheme to go live in September)

A205: St John Wilson Street, Well Hall Road (scheme to go live in October)

A4: Cromwell Road, Brompton Road (scheme to go live in October)

A3220: Pembroke Road, Holland Road, Warwick Road, Redcliffe Gardens (scheme to go live in October)

A20: Eltham Road, Lee High Road, Lewisham Way (scheme to go live in November)

A202: Queens Road, Peckham High Street, Camberwell Church Street, Camberwell New Road (scheme to go live in December)

A2: New Cross Road, Old Kent Road (scheme to go live in December)

A201: New Kent Road (scheme to go live in December)

A100: Tower Bridge Road (scheme to go live in December)

A200: Jamaica Road (scheme to go live in December)

A3: Clapham Road, Kennington Park Road (scheme to go live in December)

A3204: Kennington Lane (scheme to go live in December)

A203: Stockwell Road (scheme to go live in December)

A23: Camberwell New Road, Streatham Hill, Streatham High Road (scheme to go live in December)

A214: Tooting Bec Road (Scheme to go live in December)

A24: Clapham Common South Side, Balham High Road, Upper Tooting Road, High Street Colliers Wood (scheme to go live in December)

A205: Woolwich Common, South Circular Road, Catford Road, Stanstead Road, London Road, Thurlow Road, Christchurch Road, Poynders Road, Dulwich Common (scheme to go live in December)

Comment: This is an irrational and unjustified attack on drivers. Speed of traffic has already been considerably reduced in recent years in London with no obvious impact on road casualties.

Rishi Sunak speech in full: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/rishi-sunaks-full-speech-conservative-27843617

TfL Press Release: https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2023/september/tfl-to-launch-65km-of-new-lower-speed-limit-schemes-to-cut-road-danger-across-the-capital-and-save-lives

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20 MPH Limits and Bromley Road Safety Review

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Come September, roads in Wales in urban areas are to have the speed limit reduced to 20 mph, i.e. it will replace the 30 limit with a few exceptions. This was a decision made by the Welsh Parliament (the Senedd) but they have already received a petition of over 20,000 signatures objecting.

This is basically an irrational proposal that will not improve road safety or reduce road casualties. A DfT report showed there was no benefit in putting up 20 mph limit signs alone without road engineering measures and they are a waste of money.

In London we have the same irrationality with 20 limits being imposed on main A-roads in some cases. This is making it very difficult to drive in a normal but safe manner on London’s roads and is slowing bus journeys.

The London Borough of Bromley have published an interesting report entitled a “Comprehensive Review of Road Safety…” . See https://cds.bromley.gov.uk/documents/s50105790/Road%20Safety%20in%20LBBromley%20-%20June%202023-Word.pdf . It is well worth reading and was considered by a Council Committee.

Of course there are some Bromley residents who would like 20 limits everywhere in the mistaken belief that road accidents would disappear. This is the response elicited by a question to the Committee: “Response to Question 11: By using 20 MPH zones where appropriate, rather than having a blanket policy, motorists are more likely to respond and drive in accordance with the speed limit. It is worth noting that the 30 MPH national limit was introduced in 1935 when there were 1.5 m vehicles and vehicle safety standards were rudimentary. There are now more than 41 million vehicles in the UK. In 1935 nearly 8,000 people died on UK roads, last year less than 1,700”.

Yes it’s true that before 1935 there was a national 20 mph limit on all roads. It was of course widely ignored and casualties fell when a more realistic limit of 30 in urban areas was introduced.

See this page of our web site for more information on 20 limits: https://www.freedomfordrivers.org/20mph-limits

Roger Lawson Twitter: https://twitter.com/Drivers_London

20 MPH Limits in London and Traffic Speeds

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Transport for London (TfL) have imposed 20 mph speed limits on a number of London’s main A roads. To quote from their press release: “20mph speed limits will be introduced across 28km of roads within the boroughs of Camden, Islington, Hackney, Haringey and Tower Hamlets from 31 March……TfL data shows 20mph speed limits are making London’s roads safer and have led to a 25 per cent reduction in deaths and serious injuries within the central London Congestion Charging Zone… Lower speed limits play a critical role in the Mayor’s Vision Zero plan to eliminate deaths and serious injury on the transport network”.

The data they provide to support these claims is both selective and inaccurate (see their press release below).

Their claims are grossly misleading about the benefit of 20 mph limits as other studies have shown no benefit. As we have pointed out before, Vision Zero is not working because it focuses too much on speed.

This is just another example of how the Mayor of London and certain boroughs plan to get rid of motorists altogether in London. The ULEZ expansion is also part of the plan. Cars are not being banned, just made unusable for many practical purposes. This is a typical diversionary tactic of politicians when banning something outright would be seen as totally unacceptable.

And just consider the plight of taxi/PHV drivers who could lose their licenses and jobs after being caught a few times for driving at 22 mph on TfL roads.

As evidence of how damaging the reign of Sadiq Khan has been to London’s road network, the table below gives the historic trends for average traffic speeds in London. It’s now less than 10 mph in central London!

TfL Press Release: https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2023/march/roads-across-london-to-be-made-safer-with-28km-of-new-20mph-speed-limits-on-tfl-roads       

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“Collision” Data and More Speeding Fines in London

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Transport for London (TfL) have issued a press release claiming significant improvements in road safety since more 20 mph speed limits were introduced. The press release claims that collisions involving vulnerable road users have reduced by 36% and collisions involving death or serious injury have fallen by 25%.

The odd thing about this press release is that “collisions” are not recorded by the police, only road traffic accidents involving personal injury. In addition this claim is quite meaningless unless traffic volumes are measured at the same time and the impact of any other road safety measures such as road/junction improvements are taken into account.

TfL claim that it shows the Mayor’s Vision Zero plan is working but the last time we reported on this eighteen months ago we showed it was not. See https://tinyurl.com/3x3jvcr7

Regardless a report in the Daily Telegraph says that TfL is pushing ahead with lowering speed limits on many more roads in London. The majority of TfL controlled roads (red routes) will move from 30 mph to 20 mph limits.

Meanwhile the number of enforcement actions for speeding by the Metropolitan Police rose by 73% last year to 476,685, probably because 20 limits are not a natural speed to drive at on clear roads.

Comment: TfL claims contradict the authoritative study undertaken by the DfT which showed no statistically significant benefit from 20 mph speed limit zones. The TfL press release does not provide all the data and it is surely based on selective data and false analysis.

Vision Zero and reducing speed limits below what drivers consider as reasonable just seems to be an attack on driving in general with the aim of making life more difficult for those who need to drive. It’s unfair and is just another example of the anti-car mentality of TfL management.

TfL Press Release: https://tinyurl.com/mr26vmue

Telegraph Article: https://tinyurl.com/mr3rz6a9

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Drivers_London

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Wandsworth Speeding Tickets Blocked

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We have commented previously on the attempt by the London Borough of Wandsworth to issue PCNs for violating a 20 mph speed limit – see https://freedomfordrivers.blog/2022/12/16/wandsworth-20-mph-limits-unenforceable/ .

It has now been reported that this approach has been blocked by the Department for Transport (DfT) who have indicated that obtaining driver details for that purpose is unlawful. The DfT have told the DVLA to stop sharing details of drivers caught speeding under the scheme.

Barrie Segal, an expert on motoring law who runs a web site called MyappealNow, has also said that he believes this scheme is illegal as only the police can enforce speed limits. He would be interested in hearing from anyone who is issued with a PCN by any council in such circumstances.

Comment: Motorists need to oppose this attempt to extend the law so that councils can generate money from minor infringements of speed limits.

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Wandsworth 20 MPH Limits Unenforceable?

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I commented previously on the use of PCNs to enforce 20 mph speed limits on certain roads in the London Borough of Wandsworth – see links below. After exchanging numerous emails with the Council and looking into the relevant Acts of Parliament I have come to the conclusion that they have no proper legal grounds for issuing PCNs in these circumstances.

They claim to have taken two legal reviews which supports their stance. But why two? Did the first one not give the right answers?

After my last question to them they simply said “It would appear we are at an impasse, legal advice is privilege information and I have nothing further to add at this time”, i.e. they seem to be stumped for an answer.

Our advice to anyone who receives a PCN for exceeding a 20-mph speed limit in Wandsworth is to challenge it and take it to appeal to London Tribunals.

We are considering a wider legal challenge and if anyone would like to assist with that please contact me (tel: 020-8295-0378 during office hours).

The Council claims to be relying on the London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003. (LLA &TfL Act 2003) and the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. (RTR Act 84).  Specifically Section 4(5)(a) of the LLA&TfL Act 2003 that allows for Penalty Charge Notices to be issued for contravening a Prescribed Order. I pointed out that a prescribed order can only apply where there is a contravention of a traffic sign listed in Schedule 3 of the London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003. There is no 20 mph sign limit listed in Schedule 3. And Section 4(6)(a) says: “No penalty charge shall be payable under subsection (5)(a) above where—(a) the person acting in contravention of the prescribed order also fails to comply with an indication given by a scheduled section 36 traffic sign; or….”. They also claimed support of Section 84 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 which specifically refers to “Speed limits on roads other than restricted roads” so only applies to non-restricted roads.  The roads under discussion are almost certainly “restricted roads”.

The legislation in this area is exceedingly complex and difficult to understand but I believe they have simply misinterpreted it in their enthusiasm to raise money from drivers who might not challenge PCNs.

20 Mph speed limits may be enforceable by the police but Councils have no authority to issue PCNs for breaches of 20 mph limits in our view.

How to Object: https://freedomfordrivers.blog/2022/11/19/wandsworth-20-limit-evasion-and-how-to-object/

Money Making Wheeze: https://freedomfordrivers.blog/2022/10/27/a-new-money-making-wheeze-for-london-councils/

Roger Lawson

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Drivers_London

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