To consider a report outlining the current approach to 20’s Plenty, a report will follow marked:  6

The Highways, Transport and Environment Commissioning Manager gave a presentation to Members on the Council’s ‘Approach to implementing 20mph Speed Restrictions in Shropshire’ [copy attached to the signed Minutes]. The presentation outlined

·         the benefits of a 20mph speed restriction;

·         a summary of the Department for Transport Guidance;

·         the current approach;

·         the present situation regarding implementation and enforcement; and

·         the key considerations.

The Highways, Transport and Environment Commissioning Manager advised Members that the Council had based its current approach on the implementation of 20mph speed restriction on the Department for Transport Guidance Note.  This had been approved by the Portfolio Holder and embedded in the Shropshire Council’s Road Safety Policy, which was based upon supporting the delivery of appropriate, proportionate and achievable traffic management interventions.  He continued that the road network in the County was diverse and included some medieval street layouts.  All applications for speed limit reductions were considered on an individual basis and relied on local communities requesting and supporting the change. 20mph speed restrictions were already in force outside schools and in residential areas where community support had been demonstrated. He added that during the planning process Section 106 Agreements could be utilised to implement reduced speed limits on streets in new residential developments where it was appropriate to do so.

Members noted that there was a cost implication related to changing speed limits.  The cost was met from the Integrated Transport Block Capital Grant, which was externally funded.  The budget also had to fund other traffic management demands and demand was always considerably greater than the available budget.  The Highways, Transport and Environment Commissioning Manager continued that his department received approximately one hundred requests a year for changes to speed limits but only had the finance to deliver approximately twelve.  Many of the applications received were rejected due to alternative traffic calming measures being more appropriate.  He added that it was important that communities understood that speed limit reduction was not the only solution to traffic problems.

Professor Whitelegg was invited to address Members on behalf of the ‘20’s Plenty’ Campaign Group.  He observed that as a Public Health measure supported by National Public Health Bodies, fifty English and Scottish Local Authorities had implemented a 20mph speed limit in place of the National 30mph limit.   He continued that this issue was considered to be of public health interest as it led to the reduction of vehicle pollution through engines running more smoothly, and a reduction in collisions, citing that for every 1% reduction in speed there was a corresponding 5% reduction in collisions.    Members were asked to disregard an article which had appeared in the Telegraph newspaper and had misquoted evidence from Bath and North East Somerset Council.

In response to a Members question about enforcing speed limits, the Portfolio Holder for Transport explained that the Police only supported a reduction in speed limits where there was sufficient community support for the change to be self-enforcing.  Members commented that all roads had existing speed limits and law abiding drivers would observe these limits regardless of where they were set.  Members expressed concern that few new developments had 20mph speed limits imposed and that sites of community concern were not being addressed as part of the current scheme and queried whether the benefits of lowering the speed limit had been financially quantified.    Members accepted that reducing speed limits relied on changing public behaviour in the same way as drink driving had become socially unacceptable.

A Member noted that the Council was undertaking place shaping work for Shrewsbury and asked if the Town Council supported reducing speed limits. The Highways, Transport and Environment Commissioning Manager explained that each community had the opportunity to decide on its own infrastructure needs through the Place Plan process and use of CIL and Neighbourhood Fund money.  A Member disagreed that communities were able to obtain the resources they required to meet their infrastructure needs. 

A Member proposed that a Task and Finish Group should be established to consider this issue, including community demand and to quantify the costs and benefits of implementing a 20mph speed limit across the County.  This proposal was duly seconded but not carried when voted on. 

It was suggested that the proposed Place Shaping Task and Finish Group would consider this matter as part of its remit when it was established later in the year.

RESOLVED:

That the existing technical guidance which outlines Shropshire Council’s approach to implementing 20mph speed restrictions be noted.  This provides the basis for the Council’s current policy and recognises Department for Transport guidance and liaison with West Mercia Police.