Issue - items at meetings - Update on the Citywide (non A&B class roads) Speed Limit Review

Report of the Strategic Director, Place (copy attached)..

(1)         That the Cabinet Member notes the revised methodology and the progress made so far.

63.1               The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Strategic Director, Place providing an update on progress made to date and details of the revised methodology for the first phase of the Citywide Speed Limit Review.

63.2               Councillor Mitchell stated that Speed Limit Review had been going for some time and had now become merged with the issue of 20mph speed limits. She requested clarification of the current position and added that the scrutiny panel’s report had shown that there was support for 20mph speed limits in neighbourhoods throughout the city,

63.3               In response to questions for Councillor Mitchell, the Lead Commissioner for City Regulation & Infrastructure advised that the council was obliged to complete the review of A and B roads by 2010; this had been done and the findings would be reported to the Environment Cabinet Member Meeting in March 2011. He also explained that the methodology had been revised to incorporate the recommendations of the scrutiny panel.

63.4               Councillor Fryer advised that she fully supported the recommendations from the scrutiny panel that considered 20mph speed limits and that no evidence had been provided to show that it would be too costly to implement. She stated that the cluster approach would be piecemeal and would be harder to enforce and more costly in the long term.

63.5               The Cabinet Member explained that simply putting up signs was not sufficient and that changes to infrastructure would also be required at an increased cost. He stated that a recent report from the Department for Transport had suggested that 20mph speed limits may not improve safety and added that road safety improvements would continue to be implemented in the city throughout the duration of the Speed Limit Review.

63.6               The Lead Commissioner for City Regulation & Infrastructure explained that all roads would be considered, but that the cluster approach would allow vulnerable areas to be prioritised. More detailed information would be available in March 2011 and would inform the Local Transport Plan, but it could be possible to install some measures during the current financial year.

63.7               RESOLVED - That having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet Member accepted the following recommendation:

(1)         That the revised methodology for the first phase of the Citywide Speed Limit Review and progress made so far be noted.