New speed limits to improve safety and encourage cycling

Agreed..

Traffic pulling into and out of side streets is the usual reason for me to hear: "Sorry mate I didn't see you!"

Better enforcement of existing road rules is the answer. On my motorbike/bicycle commute (it varies) I see lots of car drivers texting at the wheel/using mobile phones, smoking dope, switching lanes without looking, driving too close and in vehicles that are clearly unroadworthy due to rust, flat/bald tyres or that have twisted chassis and are crabbing sideways down the road. Speed is usually not the issue. Maybe ensuring that everyone drives at 20mph will reduce the risk a little but it won't cut the numbers of accidents or deal with the underlying problem of careless and inattentive drivers in defective vehicles.

Rod,
I cycle and /cough/ drive down Long Ln. and through the Orford area. So far I've not seen any speed monitoring...

in an ideal world, (with plentiful resources) everyone should be made to take a refresher driver course every ten years or so.

this would remind drivers what theyre meant to be doing, make them notice their bad habits that theyve slipped into (eg constantly driving in the middle lane on motorways).

it would also provide an opportunity to re-educate? drivers about cyclists and other road users

a 20mph speed limit is always better, then the stopping distance is much shorter, which at least hopefully minimises injury...?!

but if you make the road slower then dont the drivers become more aware due to the very fact they are going slower? They'll also stop quicker if kids jump out infront of them, which for me, is the important part.

you can't 'educate' drivers, they need to be slowed down in residential areas.

I'd support the 20pmh, keep main drags at 30 but the samller residential streets need to be 20.

I agree whole heartedly. I work in a road safety/cycle safety environment for a local authority and I am already having this argument with people within 2 weeks of starting.

They are set on making every road slower rather than concentrating on making drivers more aware, this is a huge frustration to me. If I go under a car at 20mph my bike and I are still going to get crushed. Make the drivers more aware and more accountable.

Your attitude re:councillors seems to be accurate so far!

I'm anti this whole 20mph thing in a massive way. Speed is not the issue, it's responsibility of the driver. The 20mph limits seem to be cropping up more and more round my way with little or no consultation and on roads that have no issue with speeding in the first place.

It's all about spending council budgets by some twathead nannystate liberal councillors.

Bloody glad I'm not from Warrington, they'll be telling me what to wear next.

Hi

I also live in Warrington and have been involved in campaigning for the implementation of 20 mph limits across the whole town.

Warrington has put in 147 20 mph limits as a pilot and is monitoring the speed reductions. In almost every case speeds have been reduced. The police are now enforcing the limits where it is exceeded.

If DaveP can report his observations to Mark Tune at mtune [at] warrington.gov.uk then Mark will use this information to pass on to the Police.

alternatively, let me know the road and I will speak to Mark.

In other countries lower speeds are the foundation of their cycling friendly road sharing.

It will happen here as well. If we want cycling to be done by more than the "fit and the brave" then we need to make it easier for everyone to cycle.

See www.20splentyforus.org.uk for more info.

Best regards

Rod King

We've had a 20mph 'limit' on areas in Warrington for a while now... I commute down one road that is a very busy rat-run in the rush hour. I don't think many drivers actually pay any attention to the 20mph nor do the Police.