tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50892631525756006022024-03-13T21:15:12.567+00:0020's Plenty for UsThis is the Blog for the 20's Plenty for Us campaign.
We are working with local campaigns throughout the UK to implement 20 mph as the correct speed limit for residential streets.
We will be using this Blog for various comments made to campaigns during our work.20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-65905382619462720962013-04-20T07:20:00.000+01:002013-04-20T07:20:19.452+01:00Blogging again<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We have been very busy since my last blog in 2011. Now we have 193 local campaigns and nearly 9m people live in local authorities with a policy of giving most of their residential streets 20mph limits. We also have nearly 1,000 followers in twitter. Because of all our activity then our blogging has been a little neglected. However, h</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ere is the text of a guest blog which I was asked to contribute to the European Cyclists federation about the European Citizen's Initiative which we are involved with :-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I started campaigning for 20mph/30kmh speed limits after a
cycle trip to Hilden in North Rhine-Westphalia in 2004. There 23% of their in-town
trips were by bicycle after implementing a 30kmh speed limit on almost all of
their roads in 1991. It was cutting the relative speed between motor cars and
cyclists that was seen as the single most important thing that could be done to
make cycling safer and more comfortable. And for a cyclist at 22kmh the
relative speed difference with a 40kmh car is 18kmh which drops to just 8kmh if
the car is doing 30kmh. That means more than twice the distance and time for
avoiding each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But there is much more than this which makes 30kmh as a
default for urban and residential streets so important for cycling. It’s the
fact that such a policy benefits pedestrians and drivers as much as cyclists.
It’s a policy which provides universal benefits to the majority of the
population rather than just the minority who cycle. It’s a policy that can
dramatically improve the liveability of our streets with particular benefits
for the young and old who may lack the mental acuity to assess the speed of
vehicles or the physical agility to move quickly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is also a policy which questions our values about streets
and how they are public spaces to be shared for the good of the whole community
rather than simply roads for car drivers. It questions the benefits of driving
at 40kmh+ in residential and urban roads and puts them against the wide public
benefits that come from lower speeds with safer walking and cycling, quieter
streets, less polluted streets and a far greater civic amenity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course lower vehicle speeds inevitably requires a change
in behaviour and this can best be done when it provides benefits to the people
whose behaviour we need to change. The driver is the father of the child who
wants to walk or cycle to school, or is the daughter of the elderly person who
wants to keep on walking to the shops regularly. It’s about the driver as a
citizen creating better communities by understanding the benefits that driving
slower brings to those communities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most importantly, by focussing on a single and widely
beneficial initiative it brings together cyclists, pedestrians, children, elderly,
disabled and civic amenity groups all in mutual support for behaviour change.
It becomes the catalyst for a fundamental review of how we share our public
spaces for transport.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course this does not displace the need for properly
designed cycle facilities, but does provide a foundation for safer and more
equitable transport policies in our communities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the universal benefit of 30kmh speed limits and the
desire for change goes far beyond a single country and can be harnessed across
a complete continent. And that is the purpose of the European Citizen’s
Initiative which is looking to gather and show support across the EU. Cyclists
can make a huge difference for not only themselves but the whole of society by
supporting this important initiative. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can sign up to the initiative at <a href="http://www.20mph4.eu/">www.20mph4.eu</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-15757530491619300312011-12-22T09:22:00.000+00:002011-12-22T22:37:10.221+00:00Reflections on a presentation made in 2005<br />
Whilst tidying up my office I came across the transcript of the presentation I made in 2005. Much of this is still relevant today. But rather than in my presentation only being able to say that Kingston-upon-Hull was a 20mph town, we can now inlcude Portsmouth, Oxford, Liverpool, Warrington, Lancashire, Sheffield, York, Brighton & Hove, Bristol, Edinburgh, Bath & North East Somerset and Middlesbrough as being places that either have or are implementing 20mph limits for all residential roads.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Moving Cycling into the Mainstream</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Rod King’s address to the Streets Ahead CTC/CCN Conference in Warrington, November 2005</strong><br />
<br />
I would like you to meet Jane, Fred, Peter, Mary and Nigel. None of them cycle. Jane has just started at University and is home for the weekend, Fred works in a call centre, Peter runs his own advertising agency, Mary is very active with her grandchildren, especially Nigel whom she takes to the nursery each day.<br />
<br />
They all started today variously Christmas shopping, visiting friends, taking the children swimming - without even a thought of doing these activities by bicycle. Is it our job to encourage them to cycle? How can we make it safe and enjoyable for them? If they were to cycle would it reduce congestion on our roads? Would they have a healthier lifestyle and be more independent?<br />
<br />
None of them will become cyclists or contribute to modal shift. In statistical terms they are the five people who died on UK roads today. They all met very violent deaths - and none of them were cyclists. Some were drivers, some passengers, others pedestrians <br />
<br />
Jane, Fred, Peter, Mary and Nigel are not the only victims. By the end of today Jill, Frank, Amanda, David and Collette will also have been killed on our roads. A hundred more will be seriously injured and disabled.<br />
<br />
Tomorrow there will be a similar number of fatalities - and one will be a cyclist. Between now and the end of the month 180 will die and 1,800 be seriously injured on our roads. This total for 18 days exceeds the number of rail deaths in the last ten years. Only 4 per cent will be cyclists but together with pedestrians they make up over a quarter of road deaths. <br />
<br />
As campaigners we believe that cycling is not dangerous and proclaim its many benefits to the community - less congestion, healthier lifestyle, better mobility for children, reduced air pollution. We arm ourselves with a copy of Cyclecraft, display our cycle maps highlighting the quieter routes. We take advantage of cycle lanes and specially treated junctions. We devise Safe Routes to Schools and Travel Plans, we encourage employers to install showers, we work with councils to produce cycle friendly Local Transport Plans (LTPs), we organise cycle rides for novices, we implement training schemes. Yet despite all our good work cycling declined from 4.5 billion kilometres in 2003 to 3.9 in 2004. And car use rose inexorably. <br />
<br />
Why has there been no modal shift to cycling? The answer is that the British public is too frightened to cycle on our roads. We can argue that such fear is perceived rather than real but we must not make the mistake of denying its impact. We compound this error by our contradictory actions. It is illogical to deny the dangers of cycling while at the same time campaigning to reduce them. <br />
<br />
Over the last 10 years much has been achieved campaigning for better highway engineering and establishing cycling within LTPs. However, to make a real and lasting difference we must address the fears of non-cyclists rather than the needs of current cyclists.<br />
<br />
Much that we do in life involves risk and danger but is balanced by expected gain. As parents we celebrate the day when our child takes their first steps, we cheer when they ride a bike. For our children the pain of occasionally falling off is offset by the gain of independent travel. <br />
<br />
We adults then curtail our children's rights and freedoms to ride, walk, play, run and jump in their streets. Enthusiasm wanes and anxiety increases as we (over) stress the risks. “Watch you don't get killed,” “Wear a helmet, “Wear bright clothing”, “Pull over, stop, dismount”, and “Walk across when turning right.” These dire warnings inculcate a terror of roads in our children, deflecting responsibility from the source of the danger - the motorist - onto pedestrians and cyclists.<br />
<br />
Safe Routes to Schools seek to encourage walking and cycling by identifying preferred routes. This initiative ignores the right of pedestrians and cyclists to expect respect from drivers - wherever they are. Instead we marshal children along routes providing the minimal inconvenience to motorists. All routes are safe routes to school - it is only motorists that take away the safety. We should be asking not “What can children do to avoid motorists?” but “What can motorists do to avoid children?”<br />
<br />
Millions of pounds are spent on cycle lanes and tracks. Yet this very visible public expenditure has not resulted in more cycling. Segregation is only useful if continuous and without intersection conflict which quickly discourages new cyclists. High urban speeds in the UK make it particularly expensive to engineer the same degree of safety for pedestrians and cyclists compared to countries with lower speeds. It costs 25 times more to make a junction safe for cyclists where a 30 mph limit operates compared to 20 mph. Why bother with £50,000 of highway engineering when £50 spent on a few 20 mph repeater signs achieves the same result, that is - more and safer cycling?<br />
<br />
Focussing on the engineering of roads, rather than the behaviour of motorists, aids and abets the marginalisation of cycling. It supports the idea that the problem is the cyclist on our roads rather than the inequitable sharing of road space. At junctions and roundabouts cyclists and pedestrians are diverted via a circuitous route so as not to delay the motor traffic. Too often the fast, hard car gets priority over the slow and vulnerable highway user. <br />
<br />
Motor manufacturers emphasise the safety aspects of their products. This marketing is directed at the car’s occupants rather than any other highway users the car may encounter -reinforcing the view that it is dangerous to be without a protective steel shell. Every advert that extols the safety of a motor vehicle sub-consciously highlights the dangers for cyclists and pedestrians. <br />
<br />
This neurosis is nurtured by thousands of road safety campaigners, teachers, and millions of pounds of vehicle manufacturer advertising. Cycle campaigners are also guilty. Instead of striving in vain to reduce the risks of cycling we should boldly declare, “Walking and Cycling are safe – Driving is dangerous.”<br />
<br />
Speed cameras save lives yet people still complain when they are caught breaking the law.<br />
Lack of speed enforcement continues to favour the seat belt-protected motorist against the comatosed cyclist or pedestrian. <br />
<br />
Fear of traffic has created a society where young people are denied independent mobility, the opportunity to expand their geographical boundaries in preparation for adulthood. Levels of independent youth travel in the UK are 20 per cent those in Europe. Our youth are frightened of riding on our roads, so have little empathy for cyclists when, as adults they acquire their own motorised transport.<br />
<br />
<br />
Warrington is twinned with Hilden, a German city midway between Düsseldorf and Köln<br />
where car ownership is higher than the national average. Over the last 15 years the council has implemented a systematic programme of traffic calming with the co-operation of residents. Now 75 per cent of the urban area has a speed limit of 30 kph (20 mph) and in Home Zones it is as low as 5 mph. In 1989 cycling accounted for 9 per cent of all journeys and 14 per cent of town centre traffic, in 2004 the figures rose to 14 and 23 per cent respectively. Lutz Groll, a Hilden planner concludes, “Traffic calming is a fundamental element in successful bicycle promotion.”<br />
<br />
There are similar success stories throughout northern Europe. In Britain only Kingston upon Hull has pioneered a comprehensive 20 mph speed limit. This bold experiment has reduced crashes causing deaths or serious injuries by 90 per cent and child pedestrian casualties by 74 per cent.<br />
<br />
We must follow the example of Hilden and Hull and avoid the car-dependent culture of America. We should strive to emulate our European neighbours where citizens use the streets to play, gossip, shop, walk, run, cycle, gather and linger without fear of being killed.<br />
<br />
Maximum vehicle speeds must be reduced in all our urban and residential areas to 20 mph. The viability, convenience, safety, directness and simple right to walk or cycle on our roads cannot be compromised in order to maintain high traffic speeds in our towns, cities and villages. We must champion the rights of all to choose their mode of transport without fear. We must stop giving disproportionate mobility rights to car owners and motorists when one quarter of all households has no access to a car.<br />
<br />
A default speed limit of 20 mph will have only a marginal impact on journey time, on average adding one minute to a 15 minute journey - but will significantly increase safety and reduce fear for pedestrians and cyclists. It will benefit all: streets will become more peaceful, traffic will flow more smoothly, air pollution will decrease as will road maintenance costs. There will be fewer deaths and injuries for pedestrian, cyclists - and motorists. Children will reclaim the right to walk and cycle independently to school, parents will be freed from the slavery of the school run - and all at minimal cost to cash-strapped councils. <br />
<br />
There will be several desirable side effects to a rise in cycling: more exercise, slimmer children, social inclusion, community cohesion, better air quality, less congestion. Elsewhere cycling is not perceived in such complex terms. In Europe bicycles are not expected to deliver key government policies but just get you from A to B.<br />
<br />
In Britain those that cycle tend to be fit, brave and very assertive. Such clearly independent creatures seldom evoke sympathy. To achieve slower speeds it is vital to collaborate with a larger force, walkers. After all, we are all pedestrians – even a motorist when he steps out of his car. As pedestrians we represent the majority rather than the minority. It is better to campaign for every child in a school, everyone who walks rather than the 5 per cent who cycle. We can better promote safe cycling not as cyclists but as pedestrians who also cycle. <br />
<br />
We must stimulate a wide public debate on the moral issues of excessive speed and the rights of individuals to enjoy their streets as pedestrians or cyclists without fear. Our stance must be pro-safer motoring not anti-motorist.<br />
<br />
Lower blanket speeds must become the priority for pedestrian, cycle, road safety and civic campaigners. Implementation will be more beneficial than all the cycle schemes, facilities and routes installed to date. We must think very carefully whether to assist the development of segregated facilities.<br />
<br />
We must use the media to pursue our cause through letters, articles and press releases. Remember we are not campaigning for cyclists but mainly for pedestrians who outnumber cyclist deaths by four to one. The Warrington Guardian now refers to me as Rod King, Speed Campaigner rather than Rod King, Cycle Campaigner. <br />
<br />
We must work locally and nationally to campaign for speed reduction. We should join political parties and influence from the inside. Active support for the Twenty's Plenty campaign will move cycling into the mainstream. TWENTY'S PLENTY must become our rallying cry.<br />
<br />
Our responsibility is to lead and influence our society towards a better future in which <br />
everyone has the right to ride, the right to walk, the right to life. Let us not forget Jane, Fred, Peter, Mary, Nigel, Jill, Frank, Amanda, David and Collette.20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-28794335324977683832011-09-12T17:58:00.000+01:002011-09-12T17:58:35.542+01:00Some thoughts on 9/11Few people will have got through yesterday without being reminded of the event 10 years ago that has changed so much of our history in the first decade of the 21st century. The killing of nearly 3,000 people in a few hours in the terrorist attack on the United States both directly affected so many families of not just US workers but also foreign nationals who were victims, but also was a call to action to governments around the world to change their domestic and foreign security policies. It was an affront to democracy and the civil liberties which so many of us hold dearly.<br />
<br />
We are all shocked by the carnage and more so because we see the images on our screens and feel for the people involved. We respect and honour their memory.<br />
<br />
There has been much analysis and discussion since then. Western powers have been involved in wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq. We have seen further terrorist attacks in London, Bali and Madrid as well as a huge loss of life in the Middle East.<br />
<br />
The world is indeed a changed place since 9/11. With hindsight we can see so many connected issues :- Palestine, Suni/Shia sectarianism, US presence in Saudi Arabia, Al Qaeda, the “fog of war”, “collateral damage”, “hate crimes”, the instability created in the financial markets, “the Arab Spring”, etc.<br />
And through all of these we see a commodity lurking in the background – Oil. Of course no one directly connects all of these events to the Western demand for oil as energy, but it certainly seems to be implicated in most of these issues.<br />
<br />
Personally, I do not have the knowledge or the expertise to make finer judgments on theses connection. But my role as a Road Danger Reduction advocate means that I am aware of some outcomes that really do require consideration. I wonder if you know how many people have died on US roads in the last 10 years since the nearly 3,000 deaths of 9/11. Would it be 10,000? That would be terrible. What if it were 50,000?... or even 100,000!!!<br />
<br />
Well the actual figure was over 390,000 people (1). All of these violent deaths came to members of US communities and all of their families were devastated by the loss of their loved ones. <br />
<br />
Please don’t misunderstand me. I am not trying to belittle the events of 9/11 or say that the event was one which we should ignore or put on some lesser level than road deaths. Nor is it any criticism of the US, its people or government. But it does show in stark reality that as communities we are sensitised to certain events and desensitised to others. The fact that those 390,000 deaths were distributed across all states and over 10 years means that the steady “drip of deaths” is not big news or a single event.<br />
<br />
And we see similar discrepancies in the UK. We all respect the people of Wooton Bassett when they have paid their respects to the dead servicemen as they return to their homeland. And 558 have died in fighting for our values and security. Brave men and women who do what we choose not to, but do so on our behalf. In that same 10 year period 27,000 have died on our UK roads. Maybe if we could route all of those 27,000 funerals through one small town then we would see the carnage on our roads differently.<br />
<br />
But, as I have said, this is not a claim to belittle the suffering from 9/11 either here or across the world. But if we consider the way in which governments have responded to the events of 9/11. The huge efforts and cost that went into the ensuing strategies, policies and actions, then one wonders why we cannot do the same for the way in which we share our roads. If “motorism” is the “addiction to or practice of motoring” then what is the “cost of motorism” for our communities. In the UK the Dept for Transport estimate each death as costing our community £1.4m or $2.2m. That’s a total cost in the US of $858,000,000,000 over the last 10 years. And of course you can probably multiply that by 5 or 10 times to take account of the far larger number of non fatal injuries and damage only collisions.<br />
<br />
In our Northern European neighbours they have both lower casualty rates and far more vulnerable road users as cyclists and pedestrians on their roads. In Sweden they have their “Vision Zero” strategy which recognises that every road death is avoidable and are constantly re-assessing what they need to do in order to deliver that vision. They know that whilst lowers speeds are not the sole answer they are a necessity if their strategies are to be convincing and successful. In Britain our default residential and urban roads have a speed limit of 30mph which is 60% higher than their 18.5mph (30 kph). They also have “stricter liability” laws which help address the imbalance of protection between vulnerable road users and motor vehicles. They also put real funds into protecting vulnerable road users through adequate and well designed pedestrian and cycle facilities.<br />
<br />
Its time that our governments in both the UK and around the world recognise that whilst we do and should take care to protect ourselves against malicious attacks from enemies and terrorists, we should be equally aware that the lives lost through our “addiction to motoring” are just as tragic, and somehow the fact that no-one intends for them to happen makes them even more so. We need leadership and action. We need to “normalise” our relationship with the motor vehicle. We need to recognise that “speed becomes greed” when it takes away the choice for others to walk or cycle without fear. It does not mean banning motor vehicles and certainly is not anti-motorist. But it does recognise that we need to re-assess the whole way in which we use our public spaces for transport. <br />
<br />
Some have made comments about governments who show the slightest regard to enforced behaviour change as being evidence of a “war on motorists”. Others have pointed out that fining law breakers, taxing fuel and paying for parking hardly registers on the scale of “wars or persecutions” as they really exist around the world.<br />
<br />
So whilst there never was a “war on the motorist”, maybe its time that we did start a “war on motorism”. Our governments should use this anniversary, not only to recognise the loss of life and freedom that have come from the events of 9/11 but also to recognise that there is an issue within our communities that causes death and destruction on an appalling scale and requires addressing with the same vigour, commitment and resolution that we have shown in response to those events.<br />
<br />
(1) <a href="http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Main/index.aspx">National Highway Traffic safety Administration </a>20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-24567509007112271562011-06-18T08:18:00.000+01:002011-06-18T08:18:36.239+01:00Our video report on The 20mph City conference<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/25044869?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&autoplay=1" width="398" height="224" frameborder="0"></iframe>20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-4121775696506234822011-06-01T20:54:00.001+01:002011-06-01T20:54:20.771+01:00Profesor Danny Dorling on the case for 20mph Speed LimitsSee Professor Dorlong of Sheffiled University in this excellent video.<br />
<br />
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/24391781?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/24391781">Adopt a 20mph speed limit in residential areas - Danny Dorling</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user5042779">Matt CM</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p><br />
Best regards<br />
<br />
Rod20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-41307620455638821222011-05-31T21:03:00.000+01:002011-05-31T21:03:41.045+01:00An important 2 weeks for 20's Plenty for Us<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Its been an important couple of weeks for 20’s Plenty for Us. First we<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>had the May 5<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> elections where a number of local councils had shifts in council make-up which provides new opportunities to gain support for implementing Total 20 policies.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Congratulations to Anna Semlyen, our Campaign Manager, who won a seat on City of York council and where Total 20 is now a policy of the majority party.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last week (May 17<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>) saw us working with PTRC-Training and Warrington Borough Council to hold the “20mph City” conference. This was<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the first conference focussed solely on 20mph speed limits and attracted delegates from a wide range of local authorities, charity organisations, health and a strong presence from 20’s Plenty for Us campaigners. The conference was really significant in that other conferences that had included, but not focussed on, 20mph limits had been looking at Portsmouth which was the only 20mph city at the time. With Oxford, Islington, Bristol, Warrington, Lancashire, Hartlepool and Edinburgh all now implementing and in various stages of rolling out Total 20 , this was the first “post Portsmouth” discussion of 20mph limits.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The conference first heard from Mark Tune on the 197 road pilot that Warrington Borough Council concluded last year. Mark related how he had been “genuinely surprised” at the reduction in speeds and casualties. This had changed the council’s perception of the opportunity presented for a town-wide roll-out. As a result the “experimental” 20mph limits were replaced by permanent ones on all but two of the piloted roads. The Borough Council’s Executive Board decided it wanted these same advantages for Warrington citizens and this is now to be rolled out to all areas.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I then presented on the way that the 20’s Plenty for Us campaign is succeeding and included an update on implementations around the country. I also pointed out the great “value for money” of Total 20 with it being 6.5 times more cost-effective than speed bumps and other physical 20mph zones. I highlighted the way current “isolated” 20mph zones actually maintain high speeds on the rest of the urban and residential road network.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Duncan Price of DfT related the government’s current position on its Road Safety Framework for 2011-2020. There was not much on 20mph in this and he said that a new “speed limit review” is expected in 9-12 months. Hence the current Dec 2009 guidance still applies encouraging 20mph for all residential roads.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Alan Tapp of University of West of England then looked at how Total 20 could be socially marketed. Pointing out the importance of simple clear messages and empathy with people who may want to change their behaviour. Key stages in social marketing are<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>:-<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Build values and beliefs<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Appeal to self-interest<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Counter myths and objections<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He also emphasised the need to enable people to understand that their views are shared by others. With social attitudes consistently showing that people support 20mph limits for residential roads, we need to remind people that their lower speed aspirations are widely held.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We will be developing some new campaign material adopting these ideas shortly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lunch was a great opportunity meet with many campaigners and other delegates. After lunch, delegates heard Anna reciting our 20’s Plenty for Us rap poem before more presentations. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alistair Smith (Assistant Director Transport and Engineering) and Councillor Stephen Thomas from Hartlepool Borough Council talked us through the process they had followed with a scrutiny committee to debate and gather evidence on Total 20. Alistair also remembered and related how I had placed chocolate on each of Councillors’ places at the meeting I had presented at. Ending my presentation I asked them<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to look at the wrappers where they found that the chocolates were “Quality Streets”. Hartlepool are rolling-out 20mph for most of their residential roads shortly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">John Whitelegg of Liverpool John Moores University is a former Councillor in Lancashire. Having also worked in Europe on road danger reduction he gave us a very informed view of how to win political support.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He talked about the need to express with stark clarity the costs of not changing the road environment for the better for vulnerable road users. The cost is death and injury to local people. There is probably no other area of local politics where Councillors can wield such power for good or where inaction will cost so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In our communities we have the choice between delivering safe streets or nasty dangerous streets which kill and injure. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sweden has a “Vison Zero” policy of aiming for no road deaths.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dominic Harrison is the joint Director of Public Health for Blackburn with Darwen and Blackburn. He looked at 20mph limits from a health perspective, particularly with regard to the benefits and also “Large Scale Change Methods”. I felt that a particular slide was relevant which said :-<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Evidence suggests that LSC (Large Scale Change) is an emergent process that involves: <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Articulating a vision of something much better than status quo<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Focusing on some key themes<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tapping into and mobilising the imagination, will, and energy of a large number of diverse stakeholders<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Creating concrete, mutually reinforcing change in multiple processes and systems<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Continually refreshing the story and attracting new, active supporters<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Monitoring progress and adapting as you go<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bringing about such deep changes in attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours that sustainability becomes largely inherent<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 72pt; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 72.0pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">–<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i>Paul Plsek, Director, Academy for Large-Scale Change</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This resonates with the 20’s Plenty for Us campaign. The widening body of professional support for lower speeds on residential roads is very much creating the moral and financial imperative for change in how we share our streets.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Professor Danny Dorling of Sheffield University approaches 20 mph limits from a completely practical perspective as a geographer. His work on morbidity was one of the first to highlight the role which the roads play in early death. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being a pedestrian hit by a motor vehicle is the biggest cause of death for children from 3 to 16. Something which if it had been a disease would be seen as the greatest challenge for the medical profession. He compared our attitudes to road casualties as being similar to the way that streets were used as open sewers till the mid 19<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> century. Deaths caused were seen as inevitable and it was not until this was recognised that the sewers, that today we take for granted, were built. And the 20<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> century had smoking which was thought to be cool, warming and even able to help soothe respiratory conditions. Yet now we all know it to be the cause of so much harm. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And he looked to the future and pondered as to how future academics will look back on the 21<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> century and not the dates that we finally realised that we need to change our priorities to put people above cars. His historical perspective reminds us that the large scale change is possible and that we should never give up just because the initial establishment responses are negative.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Najeed Neky from Living Streets (formerly the Pedestrians Association) talked on how 20mph limits are foundations for a more pedestrian oriented street environment. That once vehicle speeds are limited to 20mph then so much more becomes possible. Whilst he showed places where engineering had been used to create a different streetscape, it is the wide area benefits of 20mph limits which really offer a great opportunity to transform our streets.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Feedback from delegates was excellent and we felt that the conference marked an important step in our campaign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Conference slides / presentations will go on the </span><a href="http://www.20splentyforus.org.uk/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.20splentyforus.org.uk</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> site.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Just 5 days later I was off to Brussels at the invitation of Keith Taylor (MEP for South East). Here I met several MEPs on the Transport and Tourism Committee who are going through the process of adopting a report on European Road Safety 2011-2020. A key amendment being added is :-<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">24a. Encourages the Commission to propose speed limits of 30 kmh in urban areas, with the possibility for local authorities to introduce other limits for particular cases, and of 120 kmh on highways, with more efficient enforcement;<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I understand that through the discussions and compromises that inevitably take place when agreement across so many countries is required this has been softened slightly to “strongly recommend” 30 kmh on residential roads. However this will be an important recognition of the benefits of 30kph limits and its acceptance as European wide “best practice”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was therefore very pleased to meet a number of MEPs on the committee and tell them how strongly 20’s Plenty for Us was progressing. I was also able to meet representatives from the European Commission which is the administrative rather than political part of the EU. Whilst they explained that on transport the actual legislation was devolved to member countries it was useful to both highlight our campaign and the benefits from harmonising on 30kph for residential and urban roads. They also pointed to their work on comparing the record of different countries on road safety. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This was interesting because I also met up with representatives from ETSC (European Transport Safety Council) who recently showed whilst UK is the “Safest” EU country in terms of total fatalities per million inhabitants in 2009, for pedestrians and cyclists it is falling way behind other countries and the EU average. One of the key recommendations of ETSC is 30kph limits for residential roads and those shared with pedestrians and cyclists. The latest report can be found at :-<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="http://www.etsc.eu/documents/ETSC_Flash19_unprotected_road_users.pdf"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.etsc.eu/documents/ETSC_Flash19_unprotected_road_users.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They are also pushing the Transport and Tourism committee to recommend “strong” interventions for vulnerable road users.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I met the European Cyclists Federation who are co-ordinating efforts from EU-wide cycling organisations, including CTC, Cyclenation and Sustrans.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I also had the opportunity to sit in on one of the committee meetings, complete with translators etc. It really brought home the breadth of EU member involvement and the wide range of opinions. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The meetings were therefore an excellent opportunity to talk about the achievements that have been made in the UK in progressive local authorities implementing 20mph on an authority-wide basis. The Transport and Tourism Committee will be finalising its report over the next few weeks, and we will be continuing our lobbying of committee MEPs. Our briefing sheet is available on our web site at </span><a href="http://www.20splentyforus.org.uk/briefingsheets/30kph_good_for_UK-Good_for_EU.pdf"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.20splentyforus.org.uk/briefingsheets/30kph_good_for_UK-Good_for_EU.pdf</span></a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In conclusion, we are making great progress. Our reach is extending and more and more local authorities are looking at Total 20 as the foundation for their strategies to make community streets better places to be. We are now receiving support from a wide range of professionals including transport, health, education, social mobility and access and environment.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of course getting Total 20 implemented is still no easy task. Large scale social change never is. And as Professor Danny Dorling reminds us, none of the major changes such as open sewers, smoking, clean beaches, etc ., were ever easy. The status quo, lethargy, complacency and vested interests all make it difficult and our progress will vary from community to community, but I truly believe that the breadth of support for our campaign, together with consistent results of lower speeds and reduced casualties wherever Total 20 is deployed, are turning heads and making wide scale adoption a realistic objective.</span></div>20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-49710026902586911062011-04-03T18:33:00.000+01:002011-04-03T18:33:51.435+01:00Comment made to Warrington Traffic Committee - 14th March 2011<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">On 14th march the Traffic Committee at Warrington Borough Council met to approve the Traffic Refgulation Order for nearly 200 roads being set at 20mph. This is what I said at the meeting :-</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Councillors, ladies and gentlemen<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was 7 years ago that I decided to cycle to Warrington’s twin town Hilden to find out what they had done to get 23% of their in-town trips made by bicycle. With another 20% of trips being made on buses they had far few cars on the road per person travelling than in Warrington.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And so on 29<sup>th</sup> June 2004, the late Councillor Lafferty, as mayor, waived me off from in front of the town hall.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Little did I know that the journey I was commencing would last many years and take in cities all around the country and even as far as Brussels and New York when I subsequently set up 20’s Plenty for Us as a national campaign to support lower speed limits for residential streets. We now have over 70 local campaign groups and a growing national and international reputation.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The secret of Hilden’s success in cycling, walking and avoiding congestion was the simple recognition in the early 1990’s that in order to maximise the choice of citizens to cycle and walk then it was necessary to get the speeds of walkers and cyclists closer to that of motor vehicles. They reasoned that the only solution was to introduce a 30 kph or 18 mph speed limit as the default across the whole town. This was the foundation of them increasing active travel and creating a safer and better street environment for all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of course they were not alone in Northern Europe and in many countries from Norway to Belgium and France then 30 kph speed limits for residential and urban roads have become the norm.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Perhaps I can point out some of the things which I have personally learnt during that journey that started in 2004:-<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<ul><li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That with pedestrian deaths 4 times more in number than cyclists then lower speed limits really are crucial to pedestrians whether they area adults or children. Furthermore the results from 20mph town-wide speed limits in Portsmouth show that motor vehicle passenger casualties reduce by some 37%. This is a road safety initiative that benefits all road users. It is certainly not anti-car, but merely pro-people.</span></span> </div></li>
</ul><ul><li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That the more drivers themselves who live in a 20mph street then the greater will be their benefits for them and their family and also their compliance with other people’s 20mph limits.</span></span> </div></li>
</ul><ul><li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I realised that journey times are almost completely determined by how long we are stopped and that maximum speed has a minimal effect.</span></span> </div></li>
</ul><ul><li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I learnt that Directors of Public Health are some of the strongest supporters of 20mph limits, particularly in the North West where child and adult casualties are higher than the national average.</span></span> </div></li>
</ul><ul><li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I realised that in Warrington we injure or kill 1,000 people a year on our roads at an estimated cost of £37m per annum. And that in almost every one of those a child was involved. Perhaps not directly being injured or killed, but in the inevitable aftermath of a casualty in the family. For a child losing a relative suddenly, violently and wastefully is a huge emotional burden. </span></span> </div></li>
</ul><ul><li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I also learnt that minds can change. That officers who maybe had been less convinced were able to take their own path through the evidence and through the Warrington pilots and then come out in support of this important initiative. And those minds are not just here in Warrington but in Portsmouth, Oxford, Lancashire, Islington, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Hartlepool and Bristol where local authorities are implementing 20mph limits on a town-wide basis. I am pleased to have been asked for a meeting with transport minister Norman Baker in 3 weeks time to discuss 20mph implementations around the country</span></span> </div></li>
</ul><ul><li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And I have also learnt<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that here in Warrington, we can replace angst with action. That not only can councillors debate and decide in favour of lower speeds, but also that Warrington citizens <u>can</u> moderate their speed in order to make the roads a better place to be.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></li>
</ul><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And for Warrington Borough Council this journey enters a new phase with the recent executive board decision to roll-out 20mph across the whole town. I note that the debate about which roads to exclude from benefiting is to be conducted at Scrutiny Committee level. This is all democracy in action. The ability to take an almost universal aspiration to make our streets better is being community led and establishment endorsed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally, I would like to thank councillors and officers for their time over the years in getting to where we are today. And I would most of all like to thank you and them on behalf of the people who you will never hear about. </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The teenager who realises just in time that there is a car coming, but at a speed which avoids a collision<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The elderly person that now feels safe to walk to the shops. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The mother who can now get by without the second family car because her children can feel safe to cycle or walk to school. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The middle aged couple who avoided a collision because they had more time to do so. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The 5 year child who runs out into the road and the driver who safely stops. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For these will not be the people you see in the statistics or in the news. They may not even realise that your actions today will have saved their lives or their injury. But they will all be beneficiaries of your decision to implement this Traffic Order and the future Traffic Orders on the rest of the Warrington residential roads.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I thank you for listening and encourage you to vote in favour.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
---------------------------<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I am pleased to report that the committee approved the Traffic Orders and that these will become effective on 15th April 2011.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div>20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-24859925082027836672011-01-05T20:52:00.000+00:002011-01-05T20:52:55.501+00:0020's Plenty for Us in 2010Each year at this time I reflect on our campaign and what we have achieved over the last 12 months.<br />
<br />
<br />
20’s Plenty for Us has now been operating for 3 complete years. From our start up in Nov 2007 we had objectives across three areas of operation:-<br />
<br />
1) Supporting local campaigns for 20 mph as the default speed limit.<br />
2) Influencing the establishment and ensuring 20 mph speed limits are kept on the transport and political agenda.<br />
3) Working with other voluntary organisations and transport professionals to ensure maximum support for 20 mph speed limits.<br />
<br />
I am pleased to report that during 2010 we have made tremendous headway in each of these areas. We have established ourselves as a leading influencer in Road Danger Reduction in the UK and this has resulted in over 5m people now living in local authorities with a “Total 20” policy of 20 mph as the default for their residential streets.<br />
<br />
We started the year with the announcement of new Speed Limit Guidance from DfT in December 09 that:-<br />
<br />
“We want to encourage highway authorities to introduce, over time, 20 mph zones or limits into streets which are primarily residential in nature and into town or city streets where pedestrian and cyclist movements are high, such as around schools, shops, markets, playgrounds and other areas, where these are not part of any major through route.”<br />
<br />
This was a major step forward and laid down the foundation for our campaigning in 2010. We immediately followed it by a January discussion day in London held in association with the Urban Design Group looking at how the guidance provided new opportunities for local authorities to implement Total 20 schemes.<br />
<br />
And ever since then the year has been hectic, busy and full of fantastic progress and achievements. Besides the thousands of emails with campaigners and others, here are some of the activities and events of the year.<br />
<br />
Conferences and meetings we attended and made presentations at :-<br />
<br />
• New 20 mph Guidelines Conference.<br />
<br />
• Sheffield on the Move meeting<br />
<br />
• Presentations to York politicians and public<br />
<br />
• Submission to Brighton & Hove Scrutiny Committee<br />
<br />
• Submission to DfT on new guidance<br />
<br />
• Ecobuild Exhibition Presentation<br />
<br />
• Herne Hill Public Meeting<br />
<br />
• Bodmin Public and Councillor Meeting<br />
<br />
• Meeting with Directors of Public Health<br />
<br />
• Presentation to Tees Valley Local Authorities.<br />
<br />
• Presentation to Liverpool Scrutiny Committee<br />
<br />
• Wilmslow Public Meeting<br />
<br />
• Discussions with Transportation Alternatives (New York)<br />
<br />
• Published Critical Review of Essex Speed Management Strategy<br />
<br />
• Public Meeting in Crewe<br />
<br />
• Public Meeting in Chesterfield<br />
<br />
• Public Meeting in Cheltenham<br />
<br />
• Public Meeting in Sheffield<br />
<br />
• Public Meeting in Lambeth<br />
<br />
• Presentation to Hartlepool Scrutiny Committee<br />
<br />
• Presentation to Transport Planners Society - Manchester<br />
<br />
• Public Meeting in Wilmslow<br />
<br />
• Presentation/Workshop at CTC/Cyclenation Conference – Portsmouth<br />
<br />
• Presentation at 3M Traffic Engineers Conference<br />
<br />
<br />
In the summer we were also interviewed by StreetFilms who put together a video on our campaign in the UK. This has now received over 6,000 plays and has been included in their “Top 15 Streetfilms of 2010”.<br />
<br />
We also were invited to present at the Stop Speeding Summit conference in New York. Walking and Cycling campaigners over there had noticed our progress on 20 mph limits in the UK and arranged for us to present at the event being held by Transportation Alternatives. 6 other events were also arranged during my visit, including a walk around with a senator, meeting the councillor in charge of transport in New York City and also an interview which resulted in a profile in the New Yorker magazine.<br />
<br />
<br />
During the year we also attracted some modest funding and this enabled us to take on Anna Semlyen as Campaign Manager in August. This has really enabled us to increase our profile and in particular our assistance to local campaigners. Anna is available for 20 hours a week with the responsibility to assist local campaigners, so please make sure that you get help from Anna in your campaigning. Contact Anna at anna.s@20splentyforus.org.uk or call her on 07572120439.<br />
<br />
We have also seen a number of Local Authorities now moving to a default 20 mph limit for residential streets. This takes the total population of such Local Authorities to over 5m. <br />
<br />
We have also seen a doubling of the number of local campaigns set up to get 20 mph limits in their communities. We now have 60 local campaigns around the country. Many have also taken advantage of our new website template so that they can easily set up their own local 20’s Plenty for Us website to reflect their local campaign. See www.20splentyforchichester.org.uk as an example.<br />
<br />
We have also seen 20 mph speed limits increasingly appearing in articles in the media as a viable intervention. In publications such as London Evening Standard, Local Transport Today, and countless regional newspapers, the debate on how we share our roads is focussing on lower speeds as the key way in which our streets can be made better places to be. We have also developed a number of fact and briefing sheets for campaigners.<br />
<br />
Other campaigns for active travel, and especially health, have come out in favour of 20 mph limits. We have worked with Sustrans, CTC, RoadPeace and others on the Quality Streets campaign for 20 mph limits. We have also had increasing links and discussions with health professionals about reducing the health cost of crashes and creating an environment more conducive to active travel.<br />
Other recognition for the success of our activities has come from the Sustainable Development Commission and also the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. Both of whom used us a Case Studies for successful campaigning.<br />
<br />
And through all of this we have been sustained by the activities, support and inspiration from campaigners like yourselves. We have seen individual campaigns progress from a tentative enquiry about 20 mph speed limits into a whirlwind of activity that results in developing democratic change. Perhaps no better example exists than the efforts of Sarah Sharp in Chichester who contacted us with an enquiry earlier in the year and now has the City Council demanding 20 mph limits from the County Council. Well done Sarah. Other new ideas have come from campaigners including the successful “Wheelie Bin Sticker” campaign in Limpley Stoke, Wiltshire and we now have such A3 stickers available for local campaigns.<br />
<br />
So we go into 2011 full of enthusiasm for our cause and confident that we will be able to make progress in what is still only our 4th year of activity. We face some key challenges which we see as :-<br />
<br />
<strong>The Police – Part of the solution or part of the problem?</strong><br />
<br />
Some Police authorities can still be entrenched in the view that 20 mph limits require physical calming and can sometimes be unwilling to take an appropriate role in speed management. This needs challenging. Too often the police have a mental block about 20 mph limit enforcement which leaves them propping up higher speeds in our towns with all the cost and trauma which go with that.<br />
<br />
<strong>LTP3s – Turning good intentions into implementations.</strong> <br />
<br />
We need to ensure that commitments within Local Transport Plans do get transformed into actions. With the Cost of Crashes in the UK amounting to nearly £20,000,000,000 per annum (£9,625m for direct casualty costs and a similar amount on unreported vehicle only damage) then there is a huge financial benefit from reducing our speeds and reducing the crashes. We can expect handwringing from Local Authorities saying that 20mph schemes cannot be funded, but this must be challenged by asking how the same authority plans to fund the much greater expenditure on crashes which could be avoided. Our cause has always contained a moral imperative. Clearly it now has a financial imperative as well. Couple that with all the concerns about increasing fuel prices and the viability of being reliant upon motor vehicles for transport then our campaign takes on an even greater significance.<br />
<br />
Already for 2011 we are beginning to pack our 20’s Plenty for Us calendar with events and new initiatives. We expect to be busy and feel that this will be a great year for the advancement of Road Danger Reduction in the UK. It is becoming increasing clear that our campaign is winnable, desirable and financially beneficial. Both Anna and myself look forward to working will all our campaigners and activists to make 2011 the year when we can say that 20’s Plenty for Us All in the UK.<br />
<br />
Our best wishes and a Happy New Year to you and your families.20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-79724473149324182462010-12-11T22:49:00.004+00:002010-12-13T18:12:10.530+00:00Letter from AmericaWell, not quite. I am now back in UK after a trip to New York to speak at the “Stop Speeding Summit” conference hosted by Transportation Alternatives on 19th November. TA are the “not for profit” organisation based in New York who campaign for walking, cycling and public transport options for New Yorkers.<br />
<br />
And it is Transportation Alternatives who I really must thank for their invite, funding my visit and also hospitality whilst I was there. This post is therefore dedicated to TA and their on-going efforts to make New York not only a “great city” but also a “great city to be without being dependent upon a motor vehicle”.<br />
<br />
<strong>Tuesday 16th Nov</strong><br />
<br />
I arrived at Newark Airport in New Jersey at about 5:30pm on Tuesday 16th Nov. Getting through immigration was much easier than I had been warned and soon I was on the monorail from the airport to the Train station when I quickly caught the New Jersey Transit line to Penn Station. This was just a few hundred yards from the TA offices on 26th St. West and my hotel which was next door. I met up with Lindsey Ganson who was my TA contact and their Safety Campaign Director.<br />
<br />
After a short meeting I checked in at the hotel and then Lindsey and Kim Martineau (TA’s Communications Manager) took me via the subway down to Lower Eastside where Kim had arranged for me to meet a New Yorker journalist the following morning. This gave me an opportunity to experience the traffic on the streets and get some background to TA’s work in New York. We saw some of the bike lanes which had been installed on some of the major streets with the bike lane next to the sidewalk (pavement), a lane for parked cars and finally 2 or 3 lanes for moving traffic. <br />
<br />
I then headed back up to mid-town and after having been up for 21 hrs was ready to get back to my hotel and sleep.<br />
<br />
<strong>Wednesday 17th Nov – Walk around with New Yorker reporter and presentation at Wagner Rudin Center</strong><br />
<br />
Next morning I was up early and after breakfast I went out onto 6th Avenue to take in the atmosphere on the streets. What struck me right way was that with wide roads, most one way, the traffic seemed to be very dense and fast. But then suddenly it would all disappear and for about ½ minute or so hardly a moving vehicle was in sight. It seemed that the traffic was running in pulses through the city. At TA I met Paul Steely White who is their Executive Director. Paul gave me some more background to TA and the way that the New York City Dept of Transportation is taking some innovative steps to assist cycling and walking. <br />
<br />
Then Lindsey and I went downtown again to meet with Ian Parker of the New Yorker, who was going to do a walkabout with me. I had been given a speed detector by TA and the idea was to use this to check the passing speed of the cars on roads such as Houston St. Ian was originally from England so it was an interesting discussion. His article can be seen at <a href="http://tinyurl.com/tootlingNYC">http://tinyurl.com/tootlingNYC</a><br />
<br />
From there I was presenting at “brown-bag” session at the New York University Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management. The term “brown bag” comes from the notion that students would bring their sandwiches (in a “brown bag”) for a lunchtime session. It gave me a good opportunity to practice my conference presentation to the students studying for their masters degrees in Urban Planning.<br />
<br />
Later that evening I had dinner with Paul Steely White and Noah Budnick (Deputy Director) of TA. We discussed the next day’s plans for meeting Jimmy Vacca who is the Council member chairing the city’s transportation committee, and also Senator Eric Adams. <br />
<br />
<strong>Thursday 18th Nov Meeting with James Vacca and walk around with Senator Adams.</strong> <br />
<br />
And this is when I got to ride a bike around the city. First it was cycling downtown to the very bottom of Broadway. Noah rode with me and I must admit that with all the one way streets I was not conscious of any problem with cycling “on the right”. In fact many one way streets have the cycle lane on the left. The reasoning is that parked cars that you pass are less likely to have the car driver opening their door on you. But you still have to watch out for passengers.<br />
<br />
Jimmy Vacca is a hard-working councilman who took over the chair of the NYC transportation committee early this year. A profile can be seen at :-<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.streetsblog.org/2010/05/04/qa-with-city-council-transportation-chair-jimmy-vacca/">http://www.streetsblog.org/2010/05/04/qa-with-city-council-transportation-chair-jimmy-vacca/</a><br />
<br />
I introduced myself as someone who could save NYC millions of dollars in costs of road casualties. I knew I had not more than 15 minutes and wanted to ensure that he remembered me. We talked about the campaign and how it helps everyone, especially the young and old. Then Noah and I cycled across the Brooklyn Bridge and down to the Park Slope area. Noah and I just had time for a coffee on a street corner. To be truthful, the scene outside was similar to one in many UK towns. A line of shops, an evangelical church opposite and surrounded by large terraced housing. We then met up with the Park Slope residents on another street corner and talked about their local campaign for a 20mph speed limit in Park Slope. Senator Adams then arrived and we all walked with him around a few blocks, taking turns to discuss the issues. He was very interested in the UK successes of 20’s Plenty for Us. He even used the phrase “paradigm shift”. Here was someone who understood the issues. It was not just about slowing down, but sharing the roads in a better manner. Clarence Eckerson of StreetFilms made an excellent video which can be seen at <a href="http://tinyurl.com/20splentyNYC">http://tinyurl.com/20splentyNYC</a> or on our website home page.<br />
<br />
It was really good to see politicians with conviction and vision looking to make their town a better place for their people. Noah and I then cycled back across the Manhattan Bridge, through Chinatown and back to TA. The cycleway across the bridge now has a 20’s Plenty for Us sticker half way across.<br />
<br />
Thursday night was spent preparing for the next day’s presentation at the “Stop Speeding Summit” conference. Last minute changes to slides were made including the header slide so that 20’s Plenty for Us morphed into 20’s Plenty for USA.<br />
<br />
The presentation was a tricky one. I guess that some of you know that I don’t usually pull punches and here I was a guest in a foreign country charged with asking them to change their driving habits. <br />
<br />
<strong>Friday 19th Nov – “Stop Speeding Summit” Conference Day</strong><br />
<br />
On the morning I walked the couple of miles downtown to the conference. Paul Steely White of TA opened the conference and introduced me as the first presenter.<br />
<br />
9:00 – 10:30 Area-wide 20mph zones.<br />
<br />
I gave my standard presentation with a few slides taken out to make it a little more compact. To my delight, and relief, the presentation was very well received and the audience had some excellent questions. A report of my presentation can be seen at <a href="http://tinyurl.com/20splentyNYCTA">http://tinyurl.com/20splentyNYCTA</a> <br />
<br />
Next, Ian Sacs of the City of Hoboken gave a presentation on how they had started to implement their “20’s Plenty for Hoboken” policy. This asks residents in the New Jersey town of Hoboken to voluntarily keep to 20mph on Hoboken streets. <br />
<br />
You can see their campaign at <a href="http://tinyurl.com/20splentyhoboken">http://tinyurl.com/20splentyhoboken</a> <br />
<br />
10:30 – 11:30 Panel Discussion: Slower Speeds = Healthier New Yorkers<br />
<br />
Several health professional gave presentations on programs they were leading to promote active travel. All saw the speed of traffic as a major impediment to modal shift.<br />
<br />
11:45 – 1:15 Remarks from James Vacca, presentation by Dr. Thomas Farley, and the rap.<br />
<br />
I was pleased to see that Council Member James Vacca (whom I had met the day before) gave a speech after lunch and pronounced his favour of a 20mph speed limit and the need to make New Yorks streets more attractive and safer for pedestrians. I particularly liked his statement that “the pedestrian is always in the right, even when the pedestrian is in the wrong”.<br />
<br />
Dr. Thomas Farley is the Commissioner for NYC Dept of Health and Mental Hygiene. He presented with a focus on the effects of physical inactivity, especially the fact that 1 in 8 (800,000) adults in NYC are diabetic. The lack of active travel is clearly a problem and health professionals are seeing the consequences of inactive travel as an epidemic. For a New York Times report see <a href="http://tinyurl.com/20splentyNYCdiabetes">http://tinyurl.com/20splentyNYCdiabetes</a>. In the UK health professionals tend to go further than pointing out the problems associated with high speed roads, and predominantly come out in favour of 20mph limits. <br />
<br />
I was then asked to give to recite our 20’s Plenty for Us poem which Anna Semlyen (our Campaign Manager) had written for us. I suspect that this was really an opportunity to contrast the “old world” style with the presentation which followed from Dr. John C. Clarke who introduced his “Drive Safe, New York” rap. We have uploaded this excellent sound track to our website at <a href="http://tinyurl.com/20splenyNYRap">http://tinyurl.com/20splenyNYRap</a> <br />
<br />
1:15 – 2:30 Panel Discussion: Automated Speed Enforcement.<br />
<br />
The panel discussion on Automated Speed Enforcement was interesting because New York does not have any automatic speed cameras. Various presenters noted how effective they were in other states. Indeed in the UK they are deemed to be effective. However, what is found to work best is a mix of both fixed and randomly placed cameras. The former can reduce speeds on know problem streets, whilst the randomly placed and manned cameras initiate better compliance elsewhere. <br />
<br />
For a recent review of the effectiveness of Speed Camera Enforcement in the UK see <strong><a href="http://tinyurl.com/20splentycameras">http://tinyurl.com/20splentycameras</a></strong><br />
<br />
2:30 – 3:15 Panel Discussion: Strategic Use of Crash Data<br />
<br />
There was a discussion of data led interventions by Baltimore Police Department and the NYC Dept. of Transportation. It was very much about identifying accident spots and what interventions could be done. Like most data-led interventions it tends to ignore the substantial number of un-clustered collisions which can only be addressed with a wide scale intervention. Of course unclustered minor injuries and “near-misses” also play a fundamental role in conditioning vulnerable road users on the dangers that exist in the streets. Focussing on collision hot spots may well make some reduction in casualties but on their own will not change the perceived danger on the roads.<br />
<br />
3:30 – 4:15 The Economic Cost of Crashes<br />
<br />
Eric Tang of Cambridge Systematics Inc. gave a presentation on this subject and compared the “cost of congestion” to the “cost of crashes”. He quoted that the cost of crashes is higher than the cost of congestion in every US urban area. In New York the figures are Cost of Crashes - $29Bn, Cost of Congestion - $8Bn.<br />
<br />
The closing remarks were made by Paul Steely White of TA. I think that the outcome was that attendees were very pleased with the conference and the recognition it gave to the need to address the speed of motor vehicles in New York City.<br />
<br />
In the evening Paul Steely White took me to meet some of the USA Cycling team. I was offered a ride out on the Saturday morning but whilst very interested decided that after several very busy days, I would perhaps not be in good enough shape to keep up. Besides, I had specific instructions from my grandson to get a picture of the Statue of Liberty.<br />
<br />
<strong>Saturday 20th Nov</strong><br />
<br />
My day was spent as a tourist, catching the Staten Island ferry, walking around the town and getting a few souvenirs for the family back home. In the evening, I was delighted to be asked to dinner at the home of one of the TA board of directors and met several of the board and advisory council. In particular, I was able to thank the sponsor who had paid the expenses for me coming to New York.<br />
<br />
I was told that our campaign had been watched for several years and that it was noticeable how UK was successfully transforming its towns and cities. It was particularly noted how London has used lower speeds to create a better environment for walkers and cyclists.<br />
<br />
<strong>Sunday 21st Nov</strong><br />
<br />
This was my last day, and so I had arranged to have lunch with Lindsey Ganson. Lindsey had not only been organising the whole conference, but had also ensured that my time was filled with the various interviews. It was also Lindsey who I had first spoken to in the summer when she inquired about our campaign in the UK.<br />
<br />
We talked about the success of the conference and how it really was seen as a milestone in initiating the debate on lower speeds and their beneficial effect.<br />
<br />
After lunch it was time to head back to the airport and travel back to UK, arriving at 7:30 in Manchester on the Monday morning.<br />
<br />
<strong>Some reflections</strong><br />
<br />
<u>On Transportation Alternatives</u><br />
<br />
TA are great advocates for cycling, walking and public transit. Their mission statement is :-<br />
<br />
“to reclaim New York City's streets from the automobile, and to advocate for bicycling, walking and public transit as the best transportation alternatives.”<br />
<br />
With a staff of 15 and located in the central area of Manhattan, they are really making a difference changing the way in which transport in viewed in the city. With a receptive Dept. of Transportation they are really making headway in changing attitudes. And from my own experience in the city, walking, cycling and public transport are far faster and cheaper than going by car.<br />
<br />
They have a young team of very dedicated staff who are all enthusiastic about making change happen. See some of their campaigns at <a href="http://www.transalt.org/campaigns">http://www.transalt.org/campaigns</a> <br />
<br />
I therefore thank them for their hospitality and for bringing me across from UK to help in their campaign. The experience has not only gained 20’s Plenty for Us new friends but also enabled us to link with many other advocates of lower speeds in the US. It reminds me that behavioural change in the way roads are shared is actually a universal objective and that whilst our legislation, size of roads, style of driving and even the side of the road we use may differ, the challenges are still the same. And because we all campaign as people rather than cyclists or pedestrians, or English or American, we debate the same values which we attach to the quality of our lives and the freedom to choose our way of moving around our towns and cities.<br />
<br />
My thanks go to all the staff, directors and funders of Transportation Alternatives.<br />
<br />
<u>On New York drivers!</u><br />
<br />
Before I left, my daughter gave me a book on New York’s history. I leafed through it and found that it was not till page 776 that a motor car was mentioned. Clearly, New York became a great city long before the motor car came about, and I suspect will remain a great city even when the motor car is seen only as a passing phase that was confined to a short period in history.<br />
<br />
But the motor car seems to be here for the foreseeable future and in Manhattan it certainly dominates the streets. I reckon that about 75% of cars were actually taxis, and all of them seeking to get as many rides in as short a time as possible. Taxis seem to accelerate up to 35-40mph and above as quickly as possible once the lights change. To them time is money and going fast is seen as the “New York way”. But on the other hand, I heard that within the central business area of Manhattan then the average speed of cabs from 8am till 8pm is never more than 10mph. So for all their pace and speed they must be stopped for the majority of the time. <br />
<br />
To me, if you want to reduce speeds in New York then you have to “Tame the Taxi”. Do that and other traffic is bound to be slowed down as well. On the face of it this would seem difficult, yet taxis are highly regulated. Currently taxi fares are relatively cheap. Fitting tracking devices to measure their speed is neither difficult or expensive and fares could be increased slightly to offset any slight increase in journey times. At the same time, slower maximum speeds increase the capacity of roads and also decrease the fuel used and emissions produced.<br />
<br />
“Taming the Taxi” would therefore be my approach to reducing prevailing speeds on NYC roads. That, together with lower and enforced speed limits could transform New York and make it an even better place to be. It would also really encourage cycling and walking.<br />
<br />
<u>On New York and 20’s Plenty for Us</u><br />
<br />
Well 20’s Plenty for Us has had great success in the UK. We are changing the way our streets are shared and making a real difference in so many towns throughout the country. From what I have seen in New York then its possible there as well. Already the Dept. of Transportation is planning to introduce 20mph limits to a pilot area in the Bronx. We know from our own experience that pilots simply increase the aspiration and demand for the same treatment in other communities. And we know of no communities that once given a 20mph speed limit want it to revert back to a higher one.<br />
<br />
The key factors in change are strong advocacy, sympathetic professionals and visionary politicians. Whilst I was in New York I saw all of these. I suspect it’s not a case of whether 20’s Plenty for New York but simply when 20 will be Plenty for New York. <br />
<br />
And of course if they can do it there then they can do it anywhere!<br />
<br />
My best regards to everyone I met in New York. and special thanks to Transportation Alternatives.20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-32062132423573864022010-11-27T17:05:00.000+00:002010-11-27T17:05:15.577+00:00Walk around Brooklyn with Senator Eric Adams20's plenty for Us were presenting at the "Stop Speeding Summit" in new York last week. The groundbreaking conference hosted by Transportation Alternatives brought together Transport, Road Safety, Health and Enforcement professionals and Rod King started the conference with a review of the success of the 20's Plenty for Us campaign in the UK.<br />
Other meetings were arranged with New York politicians, activists and officials. In the following video you can see Senator Eric Adams in a walk around the Park Slope area of Brooklyn talking to Rod King and other local activists :-<br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/16990188?color=9086c0" width="400"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/16990188">A Walk thru Park Slope with NY State Senator Eric Adams</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2352061">Streetfilms</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-77639690359993142792010-10-17T22:09:00.000+01:002010-10-17T22:09:46.955+01:00Presentation to Transport Planners SocietyLast week I was asked to present in a debate on 20mph speed limits in Manchester. Here is a copy of what I said :-<br />
<br />
For many years Britain has led the world in terms of lowest deaths per head of population on our roads. But that has led us into a state of complacency. It is true that we have been gradually engineering our roads to be safer. But for whom. Whilst in the Netherlands 10% of road deaths are pedestrians, in the UK it is 22.5% . <br />
<br />
<br />
Our levels of active travel in the UK are some of the worst in Europe. And in a recent survey by Road Safety Analysis of UK child road casualties it found that for the worst 10 local authorities, 1 in 15 children would be injured or killed on our roads before the age of 16. And 9 of those 10 local authorities were in the North West. <br />
<br />
So we may have gradually engineered away many of our black spots, and have better trauma care, and better in-car safety, but for our vulnerable road users we are, collectively failing to meet their needs for free and safe passage on our roads.<br />
<br />
We use the term “Total 20” for the setting of 20mph as the default for all residential roads in a local authority. This allows the local traffic engineers to determine the exception as appropriate for local conditions. It does so without putting in additional speed bumps and only “light touch” enforcement. “Total 20” stands on its own merits in terms of cost effectively reducing speeds and casualties. <br />
<br />
In Portsmouth we know that on faster roads, where casualties are most common and severe, there has been a 6mph reduction in speeds and a 22% overall town-wide reduction in casualties. <br />
<br />
In Warrington the recent 20mph pilots resulted in a 800% First Year Rate of Return when the costs and achieved casualty reductions were analysed.<br />
<br />
• We know that 30mph streets will never provide the basis for encouraging active travel. <br />
<br />
• We know that children are far more at casualty risk around their homes than around their schools. <br />
<br />
• We know that a 30mph limit set in 1934 as better than nothing is now inappropriate for so many of our streets. <br />
<br />
• We know that a large percentage of all casualties are unclustered and cannot be addressed by data led interventions. <br />
<br />
• We know that whilst speed may only be the cause of some collisions it is implicated in the inability to take avoiding action in the majority of incidents.<br />
<br />
• And we know that in European cities the 30kph limit is the foundation of their cycling and walking strategies.<br />
<br />
We need a fundamental change,…. A paradigm shift in the way we approach danger on the roads. <br />
<br />
Total 20 provides the catalyst for that change. Its starts with the community aspiration for lower speeds where people live. And that aspiration means that compliance is not some driver reaction to a speed limit sign but a conscious lifestyle decision that we should all take steps to make our streets better places for us all. 20 becomes plenty when we see the presence of people for Speed becomes Greed when it dissuades others from walking or cycling due to fear of traffic.<br />
<br />
It asks us to recognise that our journey times are hardly affected by our maximum speed but largely determined by the time we are stopped or in congestion.<br />
<br />
And it is because that authority-wide decision requires the democratic and political processes for it to be implemented that it forces the community debate and creates that paradigm shift. And this is where the approach radically differs from most “Data led” road safety interventions. <br />
<br />
You see there is no constraint in “Total 20” that anyone can rely upon. No guarantees to give councillors. It is “social engineering” rather than “highway engineering”. <br />
<br />
It requires a move away from the drawing board and the statistical analysis of past collisions and asks how can we best act as a catalyst for behaviour change. How can we take that universal aspiration for a better place to live and transform that into our society examining its actions and making that “lifestyle decision” to slow down?<br />
<br />
How can we transform the aspiration of children to cycle or walk to school and transfer that into their parents recognising that their driving may be part of the problem?<br />
<br />
And we need to have faith in the people. And most of all we need to engage with those people. And that is the key to the success of Total 20. The more you do to reach out and engage and debate and discuss and inform and consult and listen, then the greater will be the success. <br />
<br />
You see “Total 20” is an initiative that is community led but establishment endorsed. It needs that community leadership. And we know that 75% of those asked, including 72% of drivers believe that 20mph is the right speed limit for residential roads. <br />
<br />
There are some key aspects to the “Total 20” approach :-<br />
<br />
1) It delivers the benefit of lower speeds on most driver’s home streets. Hence giving them ownership of that benefit.<br />
<br />
2) It is consistent with the message that wherever you mix motor vehicles with people then the people must come first.<br />
<br />
3) It takes away the current isolated 20mph patches which merely re-inforce higher speeds on the rest of the network.<br />
<br />
I have been campaigning for lower speeds on our urban and residential roads since I travelled to Warrington’s twin town in 2004 and observed that their 23% of in town trips being made by bicycle. This was not built on cycle facilities or off road routes, but on a 30kph (18.5 mph) speed limit for residential roads across the whole town in the early 90s.<br />
<br />
Since then I have noticed is a huge shift towards the acceptance of lower speeds as a requirement for improving not only road safety, but the quality of life in our communities. So many organisations from Association of Directors of Public Health, to the National Audit Office and now the Dept for Transport say that 20mph limits are needed for residential roads. 20’s plenty for Us now has 60 local campaigns around the country and our feedback from those communities is that more and more politicians and council officers and police are looking to “Total 20” as a modern, cost effective initiative as a response to community aspirations.<br />
<br />
But it is simply not enough to just “ask” people to slow down. It needs the establishment endorsement that comes with a mandatory speed limit being set. <br />
<br />
We need to leave behind our “baggage” of what didn’t work in the 1980s and realise that our communities have changed. <br />
<br />
We need to think way outside the traditional road safety box. We need to recognise that active travel and its consequent health benefits, better road utilisation, a less car dependent culture, lower noise and lower pollution are all valuable deliveries alongside lower casualties.<br />
<br />
These cannot and will not be achieved by mere tinkering with a few isolated speed reduction techniques. The obsession with physical constraints creates that isolation. It creates the view that we can drive at 30 mph on most residential roads but only need to slow down occasionally. Indeed it even promotes faster speeds by large 30mph signs at the end of every isolated 20mph zone.<br />
<br />
20mph zones with physical calming are 50 times more expensive per km than Total 20 schemes with their authority-wide economies of scale and communities with a collective commitment to safer roads. Or to put it another way “Total 20” allows 50 times the coverage than isolated zones for the same cost.<br />
<br />
And I know that some will talk of the need to “manage community expectations”. Otherwise everyone will want lower speeds on their streets. I say harness those expectations, ride the tiger and use it to deliver a better and fairer sharing of the roads. <br />
<br />
I know that some of you will be sceptics. Some will say people won’t change. But in towns across the country communities are asking for that change and politicians and officers are delivering it. Portsmouth is proving that slower roads stay slow and faster roads get slower. <br />
<br />
The time has come to give all our citizens a “quality street”. Its time to humanise the space between houses which we call streets and give it back to the people who live in those houses.<br />
<br />
20 is already Plenty for the citizens of Portsmouth, and Oxford, and Islington, and Newcastle, and Wirral, and Leicester, and Hilden, and Copenhagen, and Brussels, and Amsterdam, and Rotterdam and Ghent and Graz, and so many more. I trust that you also think that its time that we started to make 20 Plenty for our Northwest towns and villages as well. <br />
<br />
At 20’s Plenty for Us we would be pleased to help you. Please contact us.<br />
<br />
Thank You20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-45549067862922991702010-10-06T23:57:00.000+01:002010-10-06T23:57:59.719+01:00Statement to Warrington Bourough CouncilWarrington Borough Council recently asked me for a statement to go into their report on their recent 20mph pilots. It was as follows :-<br />
<br />
Driving slower where people live is nothing new or radical. In fact it is already common in towns and communities all over Europe. Indeed, it was a trip to our twin town, Hilden, in 2004 which made me realise that so many of our attitudes to sharing the streets were unfair to the young, the old, the disabled, the disadvantaged and every one of us who wants their streets to be as much a place to live as to drive. From this came the formation of 20’s Plenty for Us as the national voluntary organisation supporting communities who want better streets through lower motor vehicle speeds.<br />
<br />
<br />
In Hilden and other European towns the vast majority of in-town trips are made by walking, cycling or by bus. In Hilden an 18mph speed limit on residential roads was put in during the 90’s and became a foundation for active travel. Their children largely cycle or walk to school and drivers accept that a few seconds longer on a journey is no real inconvenience.<br />
<br />
The only thing stopping us doing this in Warrington and other UK towns is our resistance to change. Whilst we disagree with the need for the pilots (there is ample evidence that 20mph limits do work), the recent 20mph pilots have shown not only that Warrington drivers will elect to travel slower, but also that residents will feel that their streets have become better places to live. The evidence from other towns which have adopted 20mph across the whole town is that this delivers even greater results. On slower roads it keeps the speeds low and on faster roads reduces it by 6mph or more.<br />
<br />
That reduction makes a huge difference in reducing the danger on our roads. And Warrington really is in need of such a change. Every 12 hours in 2009 someone was injured on Warrington roads, every 4 days someone was seriously injured and every 60 days someone died. In Warrington 1 in 26 children will be killed or injured on the roads before their 16th birthday. For child road casualties we are in the worst 25% of towns in the country. This is not simply about reducing pedestrian and cycle casualties, but also motor vehicle occupants as well.<br />
<br />
We all know that council budgets are tight, but the cost of road casualties in Warrington is put at £50m per annum. That’s £253 for every man, woman and child and 50% more than most towns of our size. The cost of implementing a 20mph limit throughout the town on all residential roads and excluding arterial roads is just £1m. Whilst it will not instantly reduce our casualties to zero it can become the foundation for making all of Warrington a better and safer place to be. <br />
<br />
It will show that we can make the right judgements about what matters to a civilised and compassionate community. It is time for all of us to take a hard look at our collective sharing of roads and simply say that <strong>20’s Plenty Where People Live</strong>. And that time is now.20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-86638103481227821892010-09-04T06:57:00.004+01:002010-09-04T07:07:40.987+01:0020's Plenty for Us video by StreetfilmsWe were delighted to take part in a video made by Streetfilms of New York. <br />
<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="315" id="vimeo_player" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/14549963?js_api=1&js_swf_id=vimeo_player&title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=9086c0" style="height: 168px; width: 670px;" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
For more information and to view the video then go to the Streetfilms website page by clicking <a href="http://www.streetfilms.org/no-need-for-speed-20s-plenty-for-us/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
Many thanks to Elizabeth Press at Streetfilms for her time and efforts.20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-18147096955211249982010-04-27T06:17:00.002+01:002010-04-27T06:19:51.257+01:00Speed limits reduce deaths, but can they also cause more pollution?That was the question put by Leo Hickman in his Ask Leo and Lucy column for the Guardian last week :-<br />
<br />
<em><span style="color: blue;">There an estimated 450 20mph speed limit zones across the UK, many of which are located near schools. Since the first ones were introduced in 1991, they have become an increasingly popular traffic calming measure. Bristol, Portsmouth, Leicester, Oxford and a number of other towns now have city centre-wide 20mph limits.</span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: blue;"></span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: blue;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: blue;">Although they cut down on accidents, do they trigger other unintended consequences, such as increased pollution (both carbon dioxide and particulates) and traffic tail-back further afield? As ever, please share your thoughts on this subject below and I'll be back on Friday to add my own thoughts to the discussion.</span></em><br />
<br />
We replied as follows :-<br />
<br />
<em><span style="color: #274e13;">First, lets deal with this myth about cars being most efficient at 50-60 mph. </span></em><em><br />
</em><br />
<em><span style="color: #274e13;">A study, by Peter De Nayer, a former AA fuel efficiency expert, involved fitting cars with a fuel flow meter and testing them at Millbrook proving ground in Bedfordshire. He found that a Citroën C4 1.6 diesel achieved 99.6mpg at 20mph but only 29.3mpg at 90mph. </span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #274e13;">The average car consumes 38 per cent more fuel at 70mph than it does over the same distance at 50mph. At 60mph it uses 34 per cent more than at 40mph. </span></em><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span><br />
<em><span style="color: #274e13;">The study, commissioned by What Car? magazine and based on five cars of different sizes ranging from a 1 litre Toyota Aygo to a 2.2 litre Land Rover Freelander, found that the most efficient speed was below 40mph for all five and as low as 20mph for two. </span></em><br />
<em></em><em><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"> </span></em><em><span style="color: #274e13;">It was found that for most cars there was a variation of between plus or minus 10% in fuel economy between 20 and 30 mph. This was dependent upon gearing and engine characteristics. Hence for steady speeds there is probably no difference between 20 mph and 30 mph when averaged out across all cars. </span></em><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span><br />
<em><span style="color: #274e13;">However, as has been pointed out, it is acceleration and particualrly repeated acceleration that uses most fuel. By capping the speed at 20 mph the ALL acceleration between 20 to 30 mph is removed. </span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #274e13;">Whilst advocating wide area 20 mph limits for urban and residential areas we would prefer to see behaviour change used rather than speed bumps to control the speed of motor vehciles. </span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #274e13;">Where speed bumps are used it would seem perverse to reason that one only needs to travel slowly on the bumps and it is expected to speed up between them. If they exist within a low speed limit then it is actually illegal to speed up between them. Hence any argument that claims that speed bumps (where used) causes increased pollution through repeated acceleration is flawed by the fact that such acceleration is at best unwise/unnessecary and at worst illegal. </span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #274e13;">Reference can also be made to a report on pollution within Belgian 30 kph zones. This suggested that they reduce particulates and may be found at the 20's Plenty for Us website together with a wide range of other pertinent reports See :- </span></em><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span><br />
<em><span style="color: #274e13;">http://www.20splentyforus.org.uk/reports.htm </span></em><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: #274e13;">Of course the points made about modal shift to walking and cycling are very pertinent and I endorse the view that streets with 30 mph speed limits will never encourage active travel and will always by child unfriendly. </span></em><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span><br />
<em><span style="color: #274e13;">I do note that the question specifically relates to pollution caused by carbon dioxide and particulates. However maybe we should widen our perspective on "pollution" and ask how much our streets have become blighted by the presence and speed of so many vehicles in those public spaces between the houses where we live. </span></em><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span><br />
<em><span style="color: #274e13;">Rod King </span></em><em><br />
</em><br />
<em><span style="color: #274e13;">20's Plenty for Us</span></em><br />
<br />
Leo's conclusion was :- <br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><em>So, if reducing emissions is your goal, the all-important factor seems to be what traffic-calming measures you use to ensure speeds are reduced from 30mph down to 20mph. It seems there's universal agreement, though, that speed humps are not the way to go.</em> </span><br />
<em><br />
<span style="color: blue;"></span></em><br />
<em><span style="color: blue;">I think Rod King of 20's Plenty for Us raises some very interesting and valid points on this issue. And I agree with the point made by Rod and others that 20mph limits assists in encouraging a modal shift away from residential streets being predominantly the domain of motorised vehicles and not pedestrians and cyclists. My own vote would be for more, not fewer, 20mph limits, regardless of whether evidence exists to suggest they might create marginally more emissions. </span></em><br />
<br />
The full article may be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/34g2oey20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-9097410701383021972010-03-07T17:36:00.000+00:002010-03-07T17:36:03.005+00:00Article published in Local Transport TodayThe recent DfT report on "Pedestrian casualties in reported road accidents:2008", which was referred to in LTT 539, misses a worrying trend that since 2004 road fatalities in the UK have become increasingly skewed towards pedestrians. From pedestrians being 20.8% of road deaths in 2004 we have seen this increase this every year. (2005 - 21%, 2006 - 21.3%, 2007 - 21.9%, 2008 - 22.5%).<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The report identifies that for pedestrian safety the UK does less well than other EU countries based on pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people. In fact, it puts us 8th out of the EU 19. However when comparing the %age road fatalities that are pedestrians then United Kingdom comes 17th out of 19. Only Hungary and Poland are worse. (European Road Safety Observatory)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Whilst absolute pedestrian casualties have been reducing, this has been at a far lower rate than that experienced by other forms of transport. Hence in the UK a road death is more likely to be a pedestrian than any time since 2001. Our road danger reduction is simply not working for pedestrians.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
With 96% of pedestrian casualties on built-up roads, then now is the time for radical action to create a "paradigm shift" in the way we share roads with pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicle users.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Whilst the DfT has recently made steps to encourage the use of lower speed limits for all residential roads through the use of "Total 20" schemes as in Portsmouth, it needs to relax its signage requirements and enable local authorities to make 20 mph the default speed limit (without repeaters) unless otherwise signed.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
By providing clear "gateways" to 20 mph limited areas then no additional 20 mph signage should be required. In order to enable progressive local authorities to move forward with "Total 20" then the government should commit to underwrite any current signage erection and removal costs in the event of them retrospectively changing the default signage requirements on a national basis.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Such a move would overcome one of the major factors inhibiting local authorities from implementing this civic and life enhancing initiative. It would also enable them to meet many LPT3 targets at a far lower cost and greater value for money.<br />
<br />
Note: Local Transport Today is the publication read by transport planners and officers in the UK.20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-35075496723926306972009-11-01T12:38:00.003+00:002009-11-01T12:40:16.617+00:00“It’s the speed of motor vehicles stupid”The following article was published by ACT Travelwise in their recent newsletter<br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">“It’s the speed of motor vehicles stupid”</span></strong><br />
<br />
<br />
In 1992, during the American presidential campaign Bill Clinton had a sign in his office proclaiming “It’s the economy stupid”. At the same time the German town of Hilden in North-Rhine Westphalia on the outskirts of Dusseldorf was looking at its falling cycling and pedestrian numbers. The urban planners recognised that the safe mobility of their citizens was one of the key tasks of municipal self determination. Their conclusion was that “It’s the speed of the motor vehicles stupid” and they introduced 30 kph (18.5 mph) speed limits on all residential streets and some main roads. They did so with a great deal of public engagement and appropriate police enforcement. Their reasoning was that reducing the differential speed between road users that was the biggest factor in road danger reduction. And now with 24% of in town trips by bicycle and 25% by public transport they have a successful and sustainable transport model that some UK towns would die for.<br />
<br />
So many of our towns in the UK are blighted by policies which see transport issues in terms of the movement of motor cars rather than people. And if we look at the percentage road deaths that are pedestrians, then in 2005 in the UK it was 21%, one of the highest in Europe. And since then it has risen to 21.3% in 2006, 21.9% in 2007 and 22.5% in 2008.<br />
<br />
When the DfT found that we were being knocked off our previous Road Safety pedestal by France and Finland and Japan and Sweden and Germany and Portugal and the Netherlands and Denmark and Switzerland, who all now have lower child road deaths per 100,000 population than the UK, then the alarm bells started ringing. Its recent “A Safer Way” White Paper recommended that “highway authorities, over time, introduce 20 mph zones and limits into streets that are primarily residential in nature”.<br />
<br />
A reduction in perceived road danger is key to any significant promotion of cycling or walking. Almost half of the public questioned (47%) strongly agree that “the idea of cycling on busy roads frightens me”, with a further 27% agreeing with this. <br />
<br />
Whilst we can attract some new “fit and brave” cyclists onto the roads and also create off road routes that may work for a few people who live in the right place, unless we address this very real fear then any progress on modal shift will have limited returns. <br />
<br />
And of course, unless we can get towards 20% of all in-town trips being made by bicycle then we fail to make any real reduction in the unsustainable transport to which those initiatives are targeted. <br />
<br />
We need a “paradigm shift” in our thinking which starts to recognise that the spaces between houses that we call streets are there to be used equitably by all, regardless of their wealth, health, age, or choice of transport mode. <br />
<br />
We need to ask ourselves how moral it is to promote walking and cycling if at the same time we do not make our streets safer places for people to cycle and walk. <br />
<br />
We need to ask whether “speed becomes greed” when it keeps the elderly in their homes and our children “bussed” to schools by parents through fear of traffic.<br />
<br />
And in town halls throughout the country these questions are being asked and there is gradual recognition that “It’s the speed of the motor vehicles stupid”.<br />
<br />
Portsmouth was the first city to take advantage of the changes in the DfT Guidance in 2006 which lowered the “before” speed threshold for implementing 20 mph speed limits without traffic calming. The circular also recommended the use of 20 mph speed limits in residential areas and in the vicinity of schools where there is a high presence of vulnerable road users.<br />
<br />
In2008 Portsmouth completed the setting of 1,200 residential streets at a 20 mph speed limit. The cost was just £475,000 or £333 per street. And now the DfT have reported on its audit of the 1st year of operation with results which show a 7 mph drop in average speeds on roads where previously the average was above 24 mph. There was also a 15% reduction in casualties. Ongoing audits will confirm the effect of this “collective community commitment” to safer roads on cycling and pedestrian activity.<br />
<br />
The reduction in speeds is also leading to the delivery of contraflow cycling on one-way streets so increasing cycling permeability and accessibility. There is also evidence that air-bourn PM10 diesel particulates are reduced at 20 mph .<br />
<br />
And it’s not just Portsmouth. Local authorities representing over 1.5 million residents in the UK are now in the course of implementing 20 mph as the default speed limit for all residential streets. And in doing so their communities are debating just how they want to create a better environment for children to walk and cycle, for the elderly to shop and for everyone to have real choice in their transport choices.<br />
<br />
Such a move is hardly controversial, with over 75% of drivers in favour of a 20 mph limit for residential streets .<br />
<br />
Whilst we cannot do anything about the mistakes of the past, we can all start to create urban road networks that recognise equality and respect the safety of all our citizens. The time has come for communities to demand that “20’s Plenty where people live”.20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-53776103217910706102009-10-26T22:53:00.000+00:002009-10-26T22:53:52.813+00:00Article published in World StreetsHere is an article that was recently featured in the World Streets on-line magazine. See <a href="http://www.worldstreets.org/">http://www.worldstreets.org/</a>.<br />
<br />
On 14th May 2008 in a United Kingdom House of Commons Transport Committee evidence session the respected head of the Netherlands Road Safety Institute, Fred Wegman, commented :-<br />
<br />
<br />
“Until 2000 we were always looking to the United Kingdom when it came to road safety. You were the inventors of many good activities and polices. All of a sudden, somewhere in 2000, you stopped doing things and we continued with our efforts. A simple figure to illustrate that is that, compared to 2000, in 2006 you had 7% fewer fatalities in this country. We have one third fewer.”<br />
<br />
The resultant critical review of road safety in the UK by the Transport Select Committee was tellingly entitled “Ending the Scandal of Complacency: Road Safety beyond 2010” <br />
<br />
Experts will debate the reasons for the slow down in better safety on UK roads. Some will put it down to an over-reliance on engineering measures which may well simply keep prevailing vehicle speeds higher and inevitably make it more dangerous for our vulnerable road users. Indeed whilst the number of total road fatalities has dropped from 3,221 in 2004 to 2,538 in 2008, the percentage of these which were pedestrians has been steadily rising from 20.83% in 2004 to 22.54% in 2008. In fact UK’s skewing of road fatalities towards pedestrians is one of the highest in Europe where the average across the EU14 countries in 2005 was just 14%. In 2005 in the Netherlands it was just 9.4%. <br />
<br />
However, things are changing. In 2006 the Department of Transport issued some new guidelines to Local Authorities for setting speed limits. One city, Portsmouth, seized upon a slight change in the guidelines for 20 mph limits without traffic calming and decided to embark upon a new initiative based upon the premise that 20’s plenty where people live. <br />
<br />
And last week at a special conference “Portsmouth – Britain’s First 20 mph City” the presentations in the Guild Hall in Portsmouth may well have created a pivotal point in road danger reduction in the UK. <br />
<br />
Until now, speed management has mainly been implemented by means of localised interventions on streets to make the driver slow down. Whether they are speed cameras, or speed bumps the essential engagement has been with the driver on the road whilst he or she is driving.<br />
<br />
At the conference, Portsmouth City Council and the Department for Transport reported on the results from the completely different approach taken by Portsmouth when in March 2008 they completed their setting of all residential roads, bar arterial routes, with a speed limit of 20 mph. 1,200 streets were set to 20 mph over a 9 month period. No bumps or humps, but most importantly a decision not just made by Traffic Officers but by the whole community as they sought a way to deliver lower speeds and a better quality of life for their residents. Quite simply, Portsmouth people decided to slow down wherever people live!<br />
<br />
Of course, setting lower speeds with traffic calming is so expensive that one only usually does it where you have excessive speed problems. But when you make the decision as a community to slow down wherever people live then it is inevitable that many streets will already have speeds below 20 mph. In fact in Portsmouth they monitored 159 sites. 102 already had mean speeds of 20 mph or less. 36 were between 20 mph and 24 mph, whilst on a further 21 the mean speed was above 24 mph. <br />
<br />
And because of that mix it was found that overall the mean speed for all the roads did not change very much. In fact it reduced by just 1%. But what was very significant was the fact that in those streets where speeds previously were 24 mph or above then a huge 7mph reduction in mean speed was recorded. <br />
<br />
Whilst casualties also fell by 15% and total accidents by 13%, more time will be needed to establish statistically significant collision figures. <br />
<br />
Portsmouth’s success is as a community that has debated how the streets should be shared more equitably and has gone through the due political, democratic and administrative process to take that community commitment and turn it into a framework within which everyone can take their part in making their city a better place to live. One where casualties reduce and people have quieter streets with more opportunities for cycling and walking.<br />
<br />
The spaces between our houses, which we call streets, will never be the same in this country. Portsmouth has shown that communities can change their behaviour and sensibly embark on a 20’s Plenty Where People Live initiative that delivers real benefits to every road user. More and more towns, cities and villages are following this trend to put citizenship back into the way we drive and share our roads. The same plan is proposed in Oxford, Leicester, Newcastle, Norwich and Islington, with widespread trials being conducted in Bristol and Warrington. <br />
<br />
But people in Portsmouth are perhaps no different from us all. But what they have found is a way to enable them to turn an aspiration for safer and more pleasant streets into a reality. I suspect there will be plenty more similar communities saying 20’s plenty for them as well. And that may well put the United Kingdom back on track in improving the safety of vulnerable road users and bringing a little more calmness to our urban and residential streets.20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-65229699102738011622009-10-09T20:27:00.002+01:002009-10-09T20:29:53.596+01:00Letter to the Parish Council!I recently heard of a response from a Parish Councillor explaining that at the parish level not much could be done to influence 20 mph speed limits. At 20's plenty for us we believe the reverse is true.<br />
<br />
Here is the email I sent to our own local parish councillors in anticipation of lower speeds being debated at the next council meeting :-<br />
<br />
<em>I am delighted that Lymm Parish Council is going to be discussing the issue of speed limits for Lymm village on Tuesday night.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>I will be looking forward to attending and if my experiences can be of help in assisting the discussion then I would be pleased to have an input.</em><br />
<br />
<em>As you may be aware, the whole “20’s Plenty for residential streets” idea is having huge interest in communities around the country. Cities and towns with diverse architecture and street plans are realising that lower speeds not only reduces danger on our roads but creates a far better quality of life for residents whether they drive, cycle or walk. But I am sure that you do not need convincing of the benefits of 20 mph in places where people live. You will be far more interested in the methodology for achieving it.</em><br />
<br />
<em>Communities thrive on social interaction and people interact and engage when walking, cycling or driving slower in manner which is near impossible at 30 mph and above. Its not the Spring Fair or May Queen which really creates a community spirit but the acknowledgement of faces met, smiles exchanged, people remembered and comments about the weather exchanged in everyday interactions on a streets which binds us all together.</em><br />
<br />
<em>And so it is that 20’s Plenty provides the opportunity for so much more of these positive interactions to take place within an environment of mutual respect and tolerance rather than one where traffic is feared and the outside treated as a danger.</em><br />
<br />
<em>I would therefore like to correct the thought that the Parish Council has limited input into this. My own opinion is that the Parish Council is at the heart of most communities and that is where the 20 mph policies are made or broken. The whole 20’s Plenty movement is not just about what local authorities can facilitate in reducing speed limits, but how local communities debate that essential question of “how do we wish to share our roads?”. 20’s Plenty is not some traffic management scheme devised in the Town Hall, but the outcome of a cultural change which has already happened in our communities. We all know that almost everyone we ask will tell us that for those who walk or cycle, or simply stand an chat on or next to our roads then the speed of vehicles is too high.</em><br />
<br />
<em>But some of the same people when in the comfort of their car may well forget the difference between their perceived safety when behind a steering wheel and their effect on others at the side of the road. Its not intentional, but conditioned by the high levels of comfort and safety within modern cars when contrasted with the vulnerability of us all when walking, cycling or using the pavements. And because of this the success of 20’s Plenty lies not in the decisions that individuals make when seeing a speed limit on the road, but the decisions made in the home, or work, or with family when the whole idea of lower speeds where people live is debated. Its that community debate at family, street, district and town level that means we all make lifestyle decisions to change our behaviour when driving between other people houses.</em><br />
<br />
<em>And, of course, our Parish Councillors may well be powerless in the actual implementation of 20 mph limits. Indeed with widening its implementation to be a borough rather than parish intervention being such an important ingredient in the Portsmouth initiative, it is necessary for this to done at borough level. But we should never underestimate the power of the Parish Council to act as a catalyst for that community debate on lower speeds. Without it entering the fray, debating the gains, considering the disadvantages and marshalling support then we dis-empower the community and its ability to evolve and grow.</em><br />
<br />
<em>What really stands out from the Portsmouth 20 mph success is that it confounded the experienced traffic managers. Hitherto it had been said that with signage alone only a 1 mph reduction in speed limit would be achieved. But of course the most important factor which had never been built into DfT experiments before was the willingness of communities to change their habits and behave differently. The streets in Portsmouth which the DfT suggested would be least likely to reduce their speed (those previously above 24 mph) in fact had a whopping 7 mph reduction. What was also noticeable was the reduction in speeds on 30 mph roads and also the lower “pace” of traffic when accelerating from lights or junctions.</em><br />
<br />
<em>This was not because of the signs or the enforcement, but because the council provided a framework for social change. It enabled the good citizens of Portsmouth to discuss and decide what they wanted and then put into place a speed limit regime which enabled them to say that 20’s Plenty where people live. </em><br />
<br />
<em>Of course you will be aware of the moves in Warrington towards lower speeds, and I am sure you will be aware of my criticism and impatience with the current 20 mph pilots which merely tinker with signs rather than really engaging with communities. But I believe that in Lymm we have a community which is crying out for a change in the way we share our roads. I trust that the Parish Council will be able to empathise with the aspirations of Lymm people and take a very active role in promoting 20 mph limits for the residential roads of Lymm. Of course whether Higher Lane should be included in such a scheme would be up to the Traffic Officers. But certainly I can conform that wider and busier and more strategic roads than Higher Lane have been set at 20 mph in Portsmouth.</em><br />
<br />
<em>Having been involved in debate around the country, not only with community meetings, but also in meetings with DfT, London Assembly, Northern Ireland Assembly Members, Members of Parliament and even in Brussels with the European Transport Safety Council, I am aware of the benefits and also the challenges of creating a better environment and quality for life for us all. I do trust that here in Lymm we can similarly take stock of our opportunities for betterment and improvement in our lives. And I trust that all of us, as residents, parish councillors, borough councillors, pupils, employees, employers and retired can all take part in this opportunity for change.</em>20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-79139078851918948882009-09-30T20:33:00.001+01:002009-09-30T20:34:19.098+01:00Portsmouth – changing the way we share our streets.<h1><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:formulas> <v:path extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"> <o:lock ext="edit" aspectratio="t"> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_3" spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="20sPlentyLogo.jpg" style="'position:absolute;margin-left:413.4pt;"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\rodk\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg" title="20sPlentyLogo"> </v:shape><![endif]--><span style="mso-ignore:vglayout;position: relative;z-index:251659264"><span style="position:absolute;left:551px; top:-9px;width:133px;height:88px"><img width="133" height="88" src="file:///C:/Users/rodk/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image002.jpg" alt="20sPlentyLogo.jpg" shapes="Picture_x0020_3" /></span></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal">The presentations made yesterday in the Guild Hall in Portsmouth may well have been a pivotal point in road safety and danger reduction in the UK.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Until now, speed management has mainly been implemented by means of localised interventions on streets to make the driver slow down. Whether they are speed cameras, or speed bumps the essential engagement has been with the driver on the road whilst he or she is driving.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Yesterday Portsmouth City Council and the Department for Transport reported on the results from the completely different approach taken by Portsmouth when in March 2008 they completed their setting of all residential roads, bar arterial routes, with a speed limit of 20 mph. No bumps or humps, but most importantly a decision not just made by Traffic Officers but the whole community as they sought a way to deliver lower speeds and a better quality of life for their residents. Quite simply, Portsmouth people decided to slow down wherever people live!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Of course, setting lower speeds with traffic calming is so expensive that one only usually does it where you have excessive speed problems. But when you make the decision as a community to slow down wherever people live then it is inevitable that many streets will already have speeds below 20 mph. In fact in Portsmouth they monitored 159 sites. 102 already had mean speeds of 20 mph or less. 36 were between 20 mph and 24 mph, whilst on a further 21 the mean speed was above 24 mph.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And because of that mix it was found that overall the mean speed for all the roads did not change very much. In fact it reduced by just 1%. But what was very significant was the fact that in those streets where speeds previously were 24 mph or above then a huge 7mph reduction in mean speed was recorded. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Whilst casualties also fell by 15% and total accidents by 13%, more time will be needed to establish statistically significant collision figures. However, the presenter noted the changes in child and elderly casualties in before and after numbers :-</p> <table class="MsoNormalTable" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse;border:none;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook:1184;mso-padding-alt:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt;mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid black;mso-border-insidev:.5pt solid black"> <tbody><tr style="mso-yfti-irow:0;mso-yfti-firstrow:yes"> <td width="205" valign="top" style="width:154.0pt;border:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="205" valign="top" style="width:154.05pt;border:solid black 1.0pt; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt; padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-right:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:38.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">Children (0-15)<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="205" valign="top" style="width:154.05pt;border:solid black 1.0pt; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt; padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-right:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:33.95pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">Elderly (70+)<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow:1"> <td width="205" valign="top" style="width:154.0pt;border:solid black 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt; padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">Pedestrians<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="205" valign="top" style="width:154.05pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;border-right:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-right:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:38.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">-4%<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="205" valign="top" style="width:154.05pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;border-right:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-right:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:33.95pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">-25%<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow:2"> <td width="205" valign="top" style="width:154.0pt;border:solid black 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt; padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">Passengers<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="205" valign="top" style="width:154.05pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;border-right:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-right:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:38.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">-22%<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="205" valign="top" style="width:154.05pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;border-right:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-right:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:33.95pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">-25%<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow:3"> <td width="205" valign="top" style="width:154.0pt;border:solid black 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt; padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">Driver/Rider<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="205" valign="top" style="width:154.05pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;border-right:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-right:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:38.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">-9%<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="205" valign="top" style="width:154.05pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;border-right:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-right:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:33.95pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">-36%<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow:4;mso-yfti-lastrow:yes"> <td width="205" valign="top" style="width:154.0pt;border:solid black 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt; padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">All Casualties<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="205" valign="top" style="width:154.05pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;border-right:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-right:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:38.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">-8%<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="205" valign="top" style="width:154.05pt;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;border-right:solid black 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;padding:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-right:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt; margin-left:33.95pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi">-31%<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Portsmouth’s success is as a community that has debated how the streets should be shared more equitably and go through the due political, democratic and administrative process to take that community commitment and turn it into a framework within which everyone can take their part in making their city a better place to live. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The spaces between our houses, which we call streets, will never be the same in this country. Portsmouth has shown that communities can change their behaviour and sensibly embark on a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">20’s Plenty Where People Live</i></b> initiative that delivers real benefits to every road user. More and more towns, cities and villages are following this trend to put citizenship back into the way we drive and share our roads. People in Portsmouth are perhaps no different from us all. But what they have found is a way to enable them to turn an aspiration for safer and more pleasant streets into a reality. I suspect there will be plenty more similar communities saying 20’s plenty for them as well.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Rod King, 20’s Plenty for Us. 30<sup>th</sup> September 2009</p>20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-66251851836129207392009-09-01T22:55:00.002+01:002009-09-01T23:00:17.714+01:00How 20's Plenty works without physical calmingHi<div><br /></div><div>I recently was in discussion with a councillor in Preston whose experience of an isolated signage only scheme led him to believe that physical calming was necessary on any 20 mph limit. Here is my reply. I post it because it may be relevent to other communities :-</div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;">I certainly do understand your concern. Many Councillors and officials do have experience of where they have attempted to reduce speeds by simply creating an Experimental Traffic Order and putting signs up. There are many reasons why such an initiative may not produce any appreciable slowing down of vehicles. However to assume from this that 20 mph limits will not work without physical calming is incorrect.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;">I apologise if I sound a little arrogant, but I have been watching and working on this issue for the last 5 years and in that time I have gained a great deal of insight into what will work and what will not.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;">Firstly, experience and experiments show that with just signage and no other interventions you will get a 2 mph drop in average speeds. And I agree that this may not be enough on that particular stretch of road to render it safe or anywhere near your target average speed.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;">So what are the additional interventions, apart from physical calming, which can be employed. These are as follows :-<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">1)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b><span style="color:#1F497D;">Deliver benefits to the drivers</span></b><span style="color:#1F497D;">. So often, the drivers whom you are wishing to influence live outside the street concerned. They probably live on a 30 mph street. What degree of respect do you expect them to give the residents of the 20 mph street if you do not equally give the same benefits to their street, family and children. Therefore making an area-wide or authority-wide 20 mph policy for residential roads maximises the % age of drivers who themselves benefit from a 20 mph road. This increases compliance and therefore increases the average speed drop obtained.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">2)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b><span style="color:#1F497D;">Engage with your whole community about the benefits of lower speeds</span></b><span style="color:#1F497D;">. Treat it as a positive enhancement to the quality of life of the residents rather than just an imposition on the drivers. If you are doing this for a whole authority then the democratic process ensures a wide understanding of the issues and a full debate community and press engagement. Then your 20 mph streets can be “owned” by the community rather than being the “mindless acts of a few councillors and officers” (Note that these would not be my words).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">3)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b><span style="color:#1F497D;">Widen the benefits of 20 mph</span></b><span style="color:#1F497D;"> in your discussions to go <b>far beyond road safety</b>. It reduces noise, reduces pollution, increases child and elderly mobility, increases the accessibility for those without motor vehicles. All of these are positive and far better to associate with rather than simply going slower to avoid an accident. Remember that the vast majority of motorists have never “killed a child”. It is not therefore in their minds as a possibility. You have to move the debate away from things that most people think will never happen onto things that always happen. You always frighten children when you travel 3ft away from them at 30 mph. You always cause so much more noise at 30 mph. Accelerating up to 30 rather than 20 always makes our streets less pleasant.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">4)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b><span style="color:#1F497D;">Use community engagement through the schools</span></b><span style="color:#1F497D;">. In Portsmouth a leaflet on the 20 mph proposals was distributed to every child in school. It was made something which was then discussed in the family home. “Daddy, if cars go slower, then can we walk to school instead of driving”. The time when people make a commitment about compliance is then moved from the driving seat and into the home. What better place to discuss and agree that going slightly slower until you get to the main road will not cause any real delays, but will increase the safety of your family.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent:-18.0pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;color:#1F497D;"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">5)<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><b><span style="color:#1F497D;">Use enforcement</span></b><span style="color:#1F497D;">. But only when you have done all of the above. Then it is the Police enforcing the community’s rather than the council’s wish. And ACPO have revised their guidelines and are now enforcing 20 mph limits in many towns.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;">All of these can and do work. The old way was to just put up an isolated 20 mph zone with physical calming. All this measure does is then ask people to “speed up” when they leave the zone and enter a 30 mph street.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;">The new way is to use the leverage of community aspirations. To recognise that our culture has changed to one that looks for less car-dependency and a better quality of street life. To be smart with our communications and use a basket of interventions, including enforcement. And finally in the minority of places where you may just need some calming then selectively and retrospectively put this in place. Get all of your other things right and this will be minimal.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;">A better quality for street life for our children, our parents, our disabled, our walker, our cyclists and even ourselves is possible. But we owe it to all of them to be engaging, smart and assertive in our methodology. Simply paving Preston with speed bumps and tables is neither smart, economic or necessary.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;">And yes, I would be pleased to visit Preston and to talk to councillors and residents about their aspirations for a better street life and how these may be achieved.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div>20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-65270327412173362812009-08-17T20:28:00.004+01:002009-08-17T21:52:55.332+01:00Police Enforcement<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I recently answered a question from a campaigner on police enforcement of 20 mph limits. Here is my answer :-</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Well lets start at the beginning. Before the 01/2006 guidelines then the 20 mph Zones were meant to be self enforcing with physical calming. So if that is the case then the police felt that enforcing such zones was not worth while because there were really no major compliance problems. They felt that enforcing 30 mph limits without physical calming was always more cost effective and efficient than enforcing 20 mph zones.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-themefont-family:";"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">At the time 20 mph limits (without calming) were limited to single streets and not used on an area wide basis. Technicalities caused problems with enforcement :-</span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"></p><ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Most speed detection devices were “radar” based and were not “type approved” for speeds lower than 20 mph.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-themefont-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Most 20 mph limits were quite short (such as outside schools) and did not allow sufficient distance for measuring the speeds.</span></span></li></ol><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-themefont-family:";"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> There are two developments which have overcome such objections :-</span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now most speed detectors are “laser” based and “type approved” from 0 to 200mph.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-themefont-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Now 20 mph on an area basis provides no problems with the distance for measurement.</span></span></li></ol><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-themefont-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Hence there is now no reason for 20 mph to be opposed by the police on the grounds of not wishing to enforce it. Especially as we are (when looking at authority wide 20 mph) talking about the same roads that they were enforcing at 30 mph.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-themefont-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Unfortunately, the Police have been very slow to react to this and poor at sensing the changing public mood. Hence many Police forces still subscribe to the old view that 20 mph limits do not need to be enforced.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-themefont-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">However, in Portsmouth, Warrington , London and Oxford this is not the case. 20 mph speeders there are being given tickets!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Best regards</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Rod</span></span></p>20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-66240950010583543332009-08-14T06:49:00.000+01:002009-08-14T06:53:40.620+01:00Snip from an email debate<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:130%;color:#1F497D;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:15px;">This is an email "bite" from a recent exchange of emails regarding speed limits:-</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-family:Calibri;font-size:15px;">Hi xxxx,</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Calibri","sans-serif"; font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D;"><o:p>Nice to hear from you.</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Calibri","sans-serif"; font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D;">I must admit I am fairly ambivalent about fixed speed cameras. But, by a speed camera I mean any device that measures the speed of a vehicle and is used for enforcement. Most of the hand-held devices also take photos. I myself would prefer randomly placed, covert and mobile cameras rather than fixed ones which every petrol head can have programmed into his/her “Road Angel” so that they can ignore limits on the rest of the network. The “howls of protest” from some about speed cameras, hence do not get my sympathy.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Calibri","sans-serif"; font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D;">The issue for most vulnerable road user casualties is that they show very little clustering. Hence any data led retrospective engineering or speed camera placement will not resolve the historical collisions and will probably be in the wrong place for the future ones. We need a broader, area wide approach which will increase the awareness by all drivers of the need to moderate speed and action in order to not only increase the opportunity and time to avoid a collision in the event of an incident, but also to decrease traffic noise and pollution, and increase the amenity of other people using those streets.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Calibri","sans-serif"; font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D;">Therefore lower speeds, particularly in residential and urban areas becomes a pivot point around which communities can debate the balance they want between maximising speed of vehicular transport and maximising amenity and safety. And once that debate begins and follows its course then most communities come to the conclusion that a 30 mph speed limit on residential and urban streets is not justifiable. We then get that “paradigm shift” when it becomes clear that Road Safety is about people and not highway engineering. Its about people realising that when we are driving in a motor vehicle we exist in a sea of individuals rather than a stream of motorists. We start to drive as an engagement with the rest of society rather than a disengagement. We recognise that “speed” is not the same as “progress” and that our journey times are dictated by the time spent at congestion and other stoppages and not our maximum speed. Of course once this is realised then suddenly so much of the “aura” that has been built up around motoring disappears and all those adverts are seen for be as shallow as they actually are.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Calibri","sans-serif"; font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D;">Don’t get me wrong. I am not anti-motorist. But we do need to “normalise” our relationship with the motor vehicle and stop colluding with manufacturers who’s sole interest is in fuelling our emotional dependence upon their products.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Calibri","sans-serif"; font-family:";font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D;">I can quite understand there being a debate about the correct speed limit for a road, but do not agree with a “woolly” advisory limit that people can ignore with impunity. <o:p></o:p></span></p>20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-69629264099942198812009-08-11T20:51:00.000+01:002009-08-12T18:54:08.407+01:00Transport Org Responses to A Safer Way<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Anyone who wishes to know the current thinking on Road Safety of any of the following organisations can see their response to the recent DfT “A Safer Way” consultation :-</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/20s%20Plenty%20for%20Us%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">20's plenty for Us Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/British%20Horse%20Society%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">British Horse Society Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/Brit%20Vehicle%20Rental%20Association%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">British Vehicle Rental Association Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/CBT%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Campaign For Better Transport Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/CPRE%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Campaign for protection of Rural England Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span style="font-family:Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/CTC%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">CTC Response</span></a></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/Cyclenation%20Response.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Cyclenation Response</span></span></a></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/Cycling%20projects%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Cycling Projects Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/Devon%20County%20Council%20Resonse.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Devon County Council Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/English%20National%20Park%20Authorities%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">English National Park Authorities Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/Greater%20Manchester%20Councils%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Greater Manchester Councils Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/Greater%20Manchester%20Cycle%20Campaign%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Greater Manchester Cycle Campaign's Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/Living%20Streets%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Living Streets Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/LondonCouncils%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">London Councils Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/OxPA%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Oxford Pedestrian's Association Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/PACTS%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Parliamentary Advisory Committee on Transport Safety Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/Play%20England%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Play England Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/RAC%20Foundation%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">RAC Foundation Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/RHA%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Road Haulage Association Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/RoadPeace%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">RoadPeace Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/ROSPA%20Response%20to%20A%20safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ROSPA Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/RTPI%20Response%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Royal Town Planning Institute Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/Sustainable%20Development%20Commission%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Sustainable Development Commission Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/Sustrans%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Sustrans Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/The%20AA%20Response%20to%20A%20Safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The AA Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125); "><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/A_Safer_Way/West%20Yorkshire%20Safer%20Roads%20Partnership%20Response%20to%20A%20safer%20Way.pdf"><span style="mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; color:#1F497D;mso-themefont-family:Calibri;color:text2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">West Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership Response</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">They can all be opened directly or by going to the 20’s Plenty For Us “A Safer Way” webpage </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="http://fp.rosebank.plus.com/20splentyforus/a_safer_way.htm">here</a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">You may note that many of them support 20 mph speed limits for residential</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">roads</span></span></span></span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Please forward this on to any other contacts who you think may be interested.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If you would like an email when any new organisations are added then please email : <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">DFTResponseUpdatePlease@20splentyforus.org.uk</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';">.</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Regards</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Rod</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-52300368834777213772009-08-09T15:39:00.001+01:002009-08-09T15:48:45.054+01:00Post to Halifax CourierResidents of Triangle in Calderdale are seeking 20 mpg speed limits. The campaign was reported in the Halifax Courier see :-<div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/Cut-speed-in-our-village.5534359.jp">http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/Cut-speed-in-our-village.5534359.jp</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Here is the post we made in response :-</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Arial;font-size:12px;">mikkkkk said :-<br /><br />"have any of these 'numpty bikers' hurt or killed anyone? thought not, therefore the '40-50 mph' is pretty irrelevant, as is the 20mph limit. i think you need to stop looking out of your window & get a life. as i said, speed doesn't cause crashes, idiots do"<br /><br />Well of course they have hurt people. What about the 9 year old who is not allowed to walk to school because his mum is frightened of the traffic, what about the elderly who stay locked and isolated in their houses because of the "numpty" drivers and bikers.<br /><br />What about the mums and dads who feel they have to drive their children to school for fear of traffic speed. What about the noise that increases peoples stress levels when they walk or cycle. What about the asthmatic and the problems caused by too many cars and too much pollution.<br /><br />Increased vehicle speed rarely leads to a decrease in journey times. It simply gives the driver a short "rush" as they "beat the system". It maybe releives their frustration, but their minimal gain is society's loss. "Speed becomes greed" when it prevents people from doing things which they have a right to do.<br /><br />And it isn't necessarily speed that "causes crashes" but lower speeds can give everyone the time for them to be avoided. That's why so many other countries in Northern Europe have lower urban and residential speeds and half the rate of pedestrian and cycling deaths we have in the UK.<br /><br />How much longer must everyone suffer so that inconsiderate and illegal drivers can be selfish?<br /><br />Well done folk of Triangle for seeking to make their village a better place to live. Lets trust that Calderdale Council and the Police will implement and enforce lower speeds where people in Triangle live.<br /><br />Best regards<br /><br />Rod King<br />20's Plenty for Us</span></div>20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5089263152575600602.post-28803929728364015502009-08-08T21:03:00.000+01:002009-08-08T21:09:11.582+01:00How 20's Plenty For Us began<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#1F497D;"></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#1F497D;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Earlier this week I received an email froma Living Streets campaigner who asked hpow the 20's Plenty for Us campaign started. Hence it seemed a reasonable first post to make on this blog.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Well if confessions are in order then I would have to explain that 20’s Plenty for Us was born out of an interest in cycle campaigning. From 2000 I was an active member of Warrington Cycle Campaign and in 2004 went on a cycle trip to our twin town <st1:city st="on">Hilden</st1:city>, Nr Dusseldorf, to compare their cycle facilities with those of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Warrington</st1:place></st1:city>. As <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Hilden</st1:place></st1:city> made 23% of in town trips by bicycle I was expecting superb cycle facilities. Instead I found that they were rubbish and far inferior to <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Warrington</st1:place></st1:city>’s. But the key to their success in modal shift was the fact that in the 1990’s they had implemented a 30 kph (18.5 mph) speed limit on all residential roads and those with shared usage.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p>Hence Hilden became my personal road to Damascus (sorry a biblical reference to Saul rather than a Bob Hope film!) and from then on I realised that segregation and expensive cycle facilities were merely enabling motor vehicle speeds to remain high and did little to reduce cyclist danger. From then on I started campaigning for lower speeds in residential and urban roads as a cyclist.</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">The more I campaigned, the more I realised that with pedestrian deaths 4 times those of cyclists then a very similar case existed for lower speeds for their benefit. And as soon as I adopted a “mode independent” campaign then suddenly I was no longer a “whinging cyclist” but was representing the young, the old, the disabled, the walkers and the cyclists. Doors opened which previously had been closed.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">And so in 2007 I founded 20’s Plenty for Us. Whilst many organisations (including Living Streets) had 20’s Plenty “on their radar” no-one had it “in its sights”. I realised that a single issue campaign could transcend familiar prejudices and provide a clear way forward without being sullied by factional interests, dogma or ideology. 20’s plenty for Us started to work with pedestrian and cycling organisations alike. Work by 20’s Plenty for Us in 2008 included the co-hosting of the “Streets Ahead” cycle campaigning conference with Warrington Cycle Campaign which focussed on mutually beneficial campaigns which would bring together all vulnerable road users, including pedestrians and even horse riders. The conference was an absolute success with more attendees than any previous conferences and we included presentations from not only 20’s Plenty campaigners from Norwich and Oxford, but also Lucy Abel of Living Streets and Josh hart who had just completed post graduate research into the effect of traffic volumes on social cohesion in Bristol.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Later on that year Josh joined Living Streets as their Network Development Manager. From those associations and the synergy between Living Streets and 20’s Plenty for us policies increased, and I was delighted when Living Streets launched their own campaign for setting 20 mph as the default speed limit for roads just last month.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">The real opportunity with 20’s plenty as a campaign is that it forces a re-consideration of the way in which roads can be shared. It goes beyond simple (but very important) road safety and starts to effect “quality of life” as communities realise the heavy price that their children and residents pay in reduced independent mobility when people are too scared to walk or cycle on our roads due to the speed of traffic.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">At 20’s Plenty for Us we do not advocate a blanket speed limit of 20 mph. Only that it should become the default and that any local authority can set a higher limit where it believes that there is reduced danger to vulnerable road users. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">The best approach to gaining change is not actually through council officers. By experience we have found that the best way is to build up community aspirations for safer roads and enabling modal shift. Once councillors realise that this is what their constituents want then they tend to put pressure on officer to work out “how they can” rather than suffer their traditional “why we can’t”. There is already strong support for 20’s plenty with over 70% of drivers in a recent British Social Attitudes Survey.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> Of course, the background to all of this is that our culture has actually changed. Both at community level and at establishment level it is being realised that the “pace and haste” of motor vehicles on our roads does very little to reduce journey times but does a great deal of harm in death, injury and fear of using our roads. “Speed becomes greed” when it stops children and adults from choosing the method of independent transport they wish. Far from being a victimless crime, excessive speed on our roads is creating an environment where millions of parents drive their children to school, with all the cost and health consequences. Millions more old or disabled stay imprisoned in their homes because they cannot drive and fear to walk. 20’s Plenty is not just about reducing road deaths or appeasing cyclists. It has become the pivotal campaign in deciding whether our roads exist as spaces between houses for motorists or public benefit.</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p>In Portsmouth, Newcastle, Oxford, Leicester, Norwich and Islington, councils either have or are in the process of making 20 mph the default speed limit for their residential roads without traffic calming. Many more authorities arte well on their way with large scale implementations planned or pilots in progress. 20’s Plenty for Us has had huge success in the last two years and we now have local campaigns throughout the country. We have also been asked to present in Brussels, Stormont (to Northern Ireland Assembly Members) and to many local public meetings and conferences around the country.</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">We are at a cross roads between sinking into the same auto-obsessed culture as in America or developing the same values as our Northern European neighbours. Our urban and residential speed limits are 60% higher at 30 mph than those in most Northern European towns. A road fatality in Britain is almost twice as likely to be a pedestrian as in the Netherlands, Germany or Scandinavia. Our skewing of road deaths towards pedestrians is the worst in western Europe, with only Poland and Lithuania being worse in the whole of Europe.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">The time for 20’s Plenty has come. I trust that you and your colleagues can help it arrive in your town as well.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Best regards</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Rod</p></span><p></p>20's Plenty for Ushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12291254624478153955noreply@blogger.com0