20s plenty Archives - The Stray Ferret

North Yorkshire 20mph policy ‘not based on evidence’, say councillors

Councillors have rejected a claim that the decision to undertake a six-month review into speeding was based on insufficient evidence about the benefits of 20mph zones.

At a specially arranged meeting in Northallerton yesterday, Andy Brown, Green Party councillor for Aire Valley, requested a “call in” of the Conservative executive’s decision to begin the review into how it tackles speeding across North Yorkshire.

The executive said the review will lead to a speed management strategy and a rolling pipeline of safety improvement schemes, but it fell short of the demands of campaigners who want widespread 20mph speed limits implemented as soon as possible.

Cllr Brown said a report that underpinned North Yorkshire Council’s decision to undertake the review underestimated the benefits of 20mph speed limits and overestimated how difficult they are to implement.

He said:

“This is not a political issue, go to Cornwall and the Conservatives there got themselves elected and promised 20mph zones where residents support it. We should be thinking about this whatever our politics are.”

The 20’s Plenty campaign has the backing of more 150 parish councils, and campaigners met at County Hall in Northallerton yesterday with several making passionate pleas about why they want action on speeding now.

A statement was read out on behalf of Pam Fawcett, who said she had lived in Beverley for more than 50 years but is now worried about the speed of traffic. She said:

“I’m afraid to cross the road in the village and I must get somebody else to collect my pension. I have great-grandchildren living in the village, they must cross the road to get the school bus and I’m genuinely frightened they’ll be hit by a speeding car.”

Both the Green Party councillor for Ouseburn, Arnold Warneken, and Liberal Democrat councillor for Knaresborough East, Hannah Gostlow, queried why the report rejected calls to have a 20mph pilot in Harrogate and Knaresborough despite it being backed by local councillors. Cllr Gostlow said:

“Where was the consultation regarding local communities? We can’t just mention active travel in our strategies, we have to take action. Our goal won’t be reached by words alone.”

However, several Conservative councillors spoke to say they backed the review, including the councillor for Bentham and Ingleton, David Ireton, who said:

“This is not about whether we like speed limits, it’s about whether the executive’s decision was made correctly. I do believe they had sufficient evidence in front of them. I feel that it was a sound decision that was made.”

Alan McVeigh, the council’s head of highways network strategy, defended the council’s approach to speeding in the chamber, as did Cllr Keane Duncan, the Conservative executive member for transport, who spoke through a video link.

Mr McVeigh said:

“We’ve heard a lot, quite rightly, about the benefits of 20mph zones. None of that is in dispute. But a one size all default risks imposing speed limits on communities that may not want them.”

Cllr Duncan that parish councils will still be able to ask for 20mph zones and the strategy should speed up the process for these requests. He added:

“We will be communicating with all parish councils in North Yorkshire to explain the policy and how they can shape proposals. I’ll make sure every councillor gets that in advance. We’re working with communities and I think we can make a positive difference over time.”

Councillors ultimately voted by nine to six to back the executive’s initial decision to undertake the review.

Accident reignites safety concerns near Harrogate schools

A road accident this afternoon has reignited safety concerns for children walking to school in Harrogate.

A red Fiesta mounted the pavement on Yew Tree Lane — the same street where 15-year-old Rossett School students Fraser and Reuben were taken to hospital with serious injuries following a collision with a vehicle in February.

No further details of today’s incident are known — the Stray Ferret has asked North Yorkshire Police to provide some information.

But the sight of a car on the pavement prompted the father of one of the teenagers who was injured in February to get in touch to say it reinforced the need for safer roads around schools.

He said:

“A lot of people are campaigning for a 20 mph speed limit on roads near schools.

“The issue feels very close to home when I see something like this so near to where my son’s accident took place.”

The Yew Tree Lane area is particularly busy because it caters for children attending three secondary schools — Ashville College, Harrogate Grammar School and Rossett School – as well as primary schools, nurseries and pre-schools.

But the parent said 20 mph “should be the limit outside all schools”, including small village primary schools.

A petition calling for a 20 mph limit to be imposed on streets across the south of Harrogate was handed to North Yorkshire Council last month.

Hazel Peacock, who delivered the petition on behalf of the campaigning parents, said the limit would “change people’s attitudes in regard to comfort around walking, cycling and mobility users”.

‘Comprehensive’ road safety improvements announced for Harrogate schools

Traffic restrictions, new crossing points and vehicle activated signs are to be introduced to make schools safer in the Harrogate district.

A meeting was held at St Aidan’s Church of England High School yesterday in response to growing concerns about traffic outside schools.

School leaders, councillors, road safety leads from the emergency services and campaigners Hazel Peacock, Dr Vicki Evans and Dr Jenny Marks were among those attending.

Cllr Keane Duncan, North Yorkshire County Council’s Conservative executive member for highways and transport, said afterwards a series of measures would be introduced to “make travelling to school safer, healthier and happier”.

Full details are yet to be revealed but the measures will include Harrogate’s first School Streets pilot at Oatlands Junior School, which will see traffic banned except for residents and emergency vehicles on roads outside the school at busy times during school terms.

Cllr Duncan said:

“Today’s meeting represents a crucial step towards improving road safety and promoting more sustainable journeys for children and families.

“We are working closely with all Pannal Ash and Oatlands area schools, local councillors and residents to make improvements in these busy areas.

“The council has agreed to a comprehensive package of highway improvements to be delivered in the immediate term, including new crossing points, vehicle activated signs and Harrogate’s first School Streets pilot at Oatlands Junior School.

“We are continuing to work on further measures to be delivered in the longer term, including consideration of requests for new 20mph zones.”

Concern about pupil safety was heightened when two 15-year-old boys from Rossett School were seriously injured outside Ashville College on February 2.

The 20’s Plenty for Us campaign, which wants 20mph to be the default option on residential streets and in town and village centres, has also been calling for change.

Representatives from the following schools attended the meeting: Harrogate Grammar School, St Aidan’s Church of England High School, Rossett School, Western Primary, Rossett Acre Primary, Oatlands Junior School, Oatlands Infant School, St John Fisher’s Catholic High School, Ashville College, Harrogate College and Willow Tree Primary.

Road safety charity lodges complaint against North Yorkshire transport chief

A war of words has erupted over calls to introduce a default 20mph zone across North Yorkhire’s built-up areas, with the founder of a campaign group lodging a standards complaint against the county’s transport chief.

Road safety charity 20’s Plenty is focussing pressure on Cllr Keane Duncan after he questioned the group’s claims, accused them of using increasingly ruthless tactics and asked for time to thoroughly consider whether 20mph zones should become standard in towns and villages.

The authority’s executive member for highways and transport issued the statement ahead of a meeting of Conservative-led North Yorkshire County Council’s Thirsk and Malton Constituency Committee on February 3.

The meeting is scheduled to see a notice of motion proposed by opposition councillors considered, which calls to extend a proposed trial of default 20mph zones across the vast constituency.

The council, which last year sought to relax rules about setting up 20mph zones, is already examining a proposal to trial default 20mph zones in built-up areas around Harrogate, but its leaders have warned introducing it would cost about £1m and impact on its ability to fund road repairs across the county.

The charity’s founder and campaign director Rod King has declined to specify the nature of the complaint to the council. Campaigners in the group have stated it is based on criticisms Cllr Duncan made about the campaign group’s claims.

A 20s Plenty for North Yorkshire spokesperson said the complaint was “on the grounds of Cllr Duncan’s attempts to influence the due democratic process in the committee ahead of this Friday’s meeting by means of unfounded claims on our integrity”.

Members of the campaign group have suggested the outstanding standards issue would mean Cllr Duncan will not be able to vote on a notice of motion about 20mph limits at Friday’s Thirsk and Malton constituency committee meeting.

Responding to the suggestion, a county council spokesman said:

“In the event of any complaint against a councillor, we would follow the relevant members complaints procedure.

“It would usually be a matter for a member to determine themselves whether they take part in a debate.”

‘Exaggerating opposition’

Ian Conlan, 20’s Plenty campaigner, who is also Mayor of Malton, said the group had consistently had 70% support over the years and its local surveys in North Yorkshire had backed that up and that Cllr Duncan was exaggerating the opposition to 20s Plenty.

He said 20s Plenty were pushing the issue at the moment in the hope of getting funding agreed for the pilot scheme in this year’s council budget.

Cllr Conlan said the council had had years to consider default 20mph zones and did not need more time to consider the issue and that Cllr Duncan was trying to influence the democratic process by spreading misinformation about 20s Plenty.

Cllr Duncan said rather than welcoming democratic challenge, the leadership of 20’s Plenty had “resorted to issuing a formal complaint against me and are attempting to block me from voting at Friday’s meeting”.

He added:

“I will not be intimidated by what I consider to be heavy-handed tactics and I will continue to publicly challenge any misleading and exaggerated claims made.

“Most importantly, I will not allow the council’s review of 20mph limits to be rushed or unduly prejudiced. We will look at all factors thoroughly and only then will we make considered recommendations to improve road safety in North Yorkshire.”

North Yorkshire transport chief accuses 20mph campaigners of ‘misleading’ tactics

North Yorkshire’s transport chief has accused the 20’s Plenty group of using “misleading” tactics in its pursuit of a new 20mph default speed limit in the county.

20’s Plenty for Us consists of 600 local groups campaigning for a speed limit of 20mph to be normal on residential streets and in town and village centres.

Councillor Keane Duncan said leading members of the group appear “blindly ideological” and are demanding a default 20mph limit be agreed before the council has been able to fully consider key issues such as enforcement, value for money and road safety implications.

Cllr Duncan, who is North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for highways and transport, was asked by the council’s executive in November to investigate the approach to 20mph speed limits.

But the Conservative said this detailed work was being undermined by 20’s Plenty campaigners demanding his review be cut short prematurely and for £1m to be agreed as part of this year’s budget to roll-out the new default limit.

He also said 20’s Plenty were “exaggerating” levels of public support, and motions submitted by opposition councillors, such as one considered at the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee calling for a 20mph pilot, were creating confusion due to “unclear” language.

Cllr Duncan said:

“20’s Plenty appear blindly ideological with just one aim and objective – 20mph as the default limit in every town and every village in North Yorkshire.

“This is a one-size-fits-all approach that cannot take into account the diversity of North Yorkshire’s local communities and their wishes.

“Such a radical proposal rightly deserves thorough consideration and public consultation. We do not know the views of the police. We do not know detailed costs. We do not know the road safety implications.”

Cllr Duncan accused campaigners of “using increasingly ruthless tactics” to get him to cut short his investigation prematurely and award them £1m before it has completed its investigations. He added:

“I am concerned that 20’s Plenty are preying on legitimate public concerns about road safety and presenting a default 20mph as the only possible solution, when improved enforcement and crossing facilities might be preferred in the first instance.

“I am also concerned that 20’s Plenty are misleading the public by exaggerating and misrepresenting the levels of support for their campaign.

“I take my responsibility for road safety in North Yorkshire very seriously. I am appealing for the council to be allowed to come to considered and well thought out conclusions.”

Ripon county councillors reject calls to pilot 20 mph zones

North Yorkshire county councillors in Ripon and Skipton have rejected a call to pilot 20 mph zones.

Campaigners backing the 20’s Plenty For Us initiative say reducing speed limits to 20 mph on residential streets and in town and village centres would make streets safer for pedestrians and reduce road casualties.

The initiative has been backed by over 100 parish councils in North Yorkshire, with many residents growing frustrated at speeding motorists, particularly in rural areas. However, critics have voiced concerns about the cost and how the zones would be enforced by police.

This year, North Yorkshire County Council’s executive approved a policy to introduce 20 mph speed limits on a “targeted, evidence-based approach”. This followed a review by the authority’s transport, economy and environment overview and scrutiny committee, which will revisit the issue in January.

‘They save lives’

The 20’s Plenty campaign inspired Green Party member for Skipton North and Embsay-with-Eastby division, David Noland, to propose a motion at this week’s Skipton and Ripon area constituency committee of the county council recommending 20mph zones are created in any village or town centre where “benefit has been identified”.

Cllr Noland said:

“[20mph zones] are popular, save lives, reduce the severity of injuries, CO2 emissions and potholes. They are sustainable and will hopefully encourage more people to walk and cycle. If this committee says we support it, it puts a bit of pressure on [executive member for highways] Cllr Duncan.”

In November, a similar motion was passed at the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee. But in Skipton and Ripon, it received a skeptical response from councillors.

Conservative councillor for Settle & Penyghent, David Staveley, described the analysis that underpins 20’s Plenty “questionable at best” and said residents in Skipton and Ripon “would not appreciate being guinea pigs” in any pilot. He added:

“I won’t support this, it’s fundamentally flawed in its approach. I don’t see it will give the benefits it claims”.

‘What’s the point?’

North Yorkshire Police has previously come out against countywide 20 mph zones due to the increased costs involved.

David Ireton, Conservative councillor for Bentham and Ingleton, said the force “refuses to enforce” 20 mph speed limits, adding, “that causes major problems with residents. They say, what’s the point in having it?”.

Liberal Democrat councillor for Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale, Andrew Murday, said he backed 20’s Plenty but would wait for the outcome of the county council meeting on the subject next month. He said:

“I’m going to abstain. I support 20’s Plenty, mainly because it does reduce injuries but if it’s coming to the council I’ll leave it to them”.

20mph speed limits to be investigated in Harrogate and Knaresborough

Trial 20mph speed limits are to be investigated in residential areas in the Harrogate district.

North Yorkshire County Council‘s executive agreed to look into running pilot schemes at a meeting today.

The Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee, which advises the executive, requested the measure last month.

The committee asked for the limit to be tested in towns and villages “where a need has been identified”.

Cllr Keane Duncan, the council’s executive member for highways and transportation, said at today’s executive meeting:

“It’s fair to say that a default 20mph limit is controversial. While it has some support, it also attracts strong opposition.

“The pilot being called for by the constituency committee represents a radical departure from our existing approach, which is based on national guidelines. It could also cost several million pounds.

“I am very keen that we investigate options to be able to provide an evidence-based assessment of the request. This will require information on factors such as road safety, environment, value for money, enforcement and lessons from other local authorities.”

He added:

“It would also be useful to learn lessons from our own authority. It was only nine months ago that the executive agreed a new 20mph policy, so it is important we assess how that is working and any changes needed.

“I welcome the opportunity to investigate these factors thoroughly in order to be able to give an informed and comprehensive response to the constituency committee’s request in due course.”

The council’s current 20mph policy, which can be viewed here, says any 20mph limits must be self-enforcing and operate without a reliance on police intervention.

20’s Plenty

Today’s decision is a boost for local supporters of the 20’s Plenty campaign, which is pushing for a speed limit of 20mph to be normal on residential streets and in town and village centres

Yesterday, pensioner Pam Fawcett, 79, delivered a card to County Hall in Northallerton on behalf of the 20’s Plenty initiative in North Yorkshire.

The card calls for the forthcoming North Yorkshire Council to invest £1m into introducing 20mph limits in the county.

Malcolm Margolis, who supports the campaign in Harrogate, said:

“Default 20mph is gradually being adopted across the country and will come to Harrogate district and North Yorkshire.

“It needs to, to save lives, reduce road casualties, encourage people to walk and cycle more benefitting our health and environment, and make our towns and villages better places to live in.”

Councillors call for 20 mph limit to be trialled in Harrogate and Knaresborough

A campaign for speed limits to be reduced from 30mph to 20mph has been backed by Harrogate and Knaresborough councillors who have called for the changes to be piloted in larger areas.

The slower limits were described as a “popular” way to make roads safer at a meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee.

However, not everyone is in support of the ’20s plenty’ campaign, with some councillors raising questions over enforcement and the costs involved.

The area committee voted nine for, two against and with one abstention in their calls for the county council’s executive to agree to test out 20mph limits in towns and villages.

But the authority is already standing firm in its belief that the lower speed limits work best in a more targeted approach, such as outside schools.

Allan McVeigh, head of network strategy at the county council, told the meeting that 20mph limits should only be introduced where they are “appropriate for that part of the network”.

He said:

“The county council is committed to making the network safe and accessible for all road users, and will continue to engage with local communities

“Introducing a 20mph speed limit or zone to a road where drivers do not already conform to lower speeds will likely result in poor compliance and consequently understandable local complaints.”

Mr McVeigh said the costs of introducing lower speed limits across the Harrogate and Knaresborough area would exceed £1 million, although he added this could be more as roads where drivers regularly exceed 24mph would require more measures than just signage and road markings.

These extra measures could involve speed bumps and chicanes which councillors admitted are not always popular.

Across North Yorkshire, more than 100 parishes have voted for default 20mph speed limits across built-up areas.

Campaign supporter Malcolm Margolis said that targeting schools only “achieves little or nothing”:

“People need to be able to walk and cycle safely from home to school, and to friends, relatives, play areas and other destinations.

“The 30mph limit was introduced in 1935 to tackle a spate of road casualties – I hope you agree it is no longer fit for purpose.

“Please support the default 20mph to make our communities safer and better places to live.”

Ouseburn councillor Arnold Warneken also said it was “inadequate” to have the lower speed limits on just some streets and that questions over enforcement are a “smokescreen” for not introducing the changes on a wider basis.

He said:

“The same problems exist whether you are enforcing 30mph or 20mph.

“There are problems, I acknowledge that, but I don’t think we should let that stand in the way of doing what is right.”

Earlier this year, the county council’s executive approved a policy to introduce 20mph speed limits on a “targeted, evidence-based approach”.

This followed a review by the authority’s Transport, Economy and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee which will revisit the issue in January.

Majority of residents want 20mph speed limit, councillor says

A councillor has claimed the majority of people in his ward now support a 20mph speed limit — but enforcement issues mean any change is unlikely.

Paul Haslam, who represents Old Bilton on Harrogate Borough Council, raised the issue with Zoe Metcalfe, the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

Speaking at a meeting of Harrogate Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny committee last week, Cllr Haslam asked Ms Metcalfe:

“In my area, Bilton and Woodfield, I would say the majority of residents want the whole area to be 20mph. At what stage will police enforce this?”

Campaigners across the country are calling for a speed limit of 20mph to be normal on residential streets and in town and village centres as part of the 20’s Plenty initiative.

Ms Metcalfe said the police and the council “don’t have the resources to be constantly enforcing a 20mph zone”, adding:

“I don’t necessarily agree with 20’s Plenty because for every one person that says they want 20mph there is one who says they don’t.”

She added she could see 20mph limits working “in certain circumstances, like outside a school,” but not as a general measure.

Tom Thorp, assistant chief executive at the commissioner’s office, said “police enforcement of 20mph limits is difficult”. He said:

“The types of road that want to go 20mph are very residential urban roads and it’s simply not possible necessarily to do the enforcement on those roads easily.”

Mr Thorp and Ms Metcalfe agreed that although police enforcement was problematic, local authorities could introduce more targeted speed restriction measures, for instance speed humps and chicanes, in specific areas, such as near schools. Mr Thorp said:

“There’s an awful lot that we should be doing around prevention before we get to actual enforcement.”

He added North Yorkshire County Council already did this through the York and North Yorkshire Road Safety Partnership, which is a partnership of agencies working tp reduce road deaths.

More speed cameras?

Cllr Haslam questioned why Bilton and Jennyfields appeared to have different approaches.

“If you go to Jennyfields you will see the whole Jennyfields estate is 20mph and I don’t see any reason why the residents of Bilton and Woodfield can’t have the same scenario.”

Cllr Haslam said “camera enforcement works” in 20mph zones in London, adding “I don’t see why we can’t look at that”.

But Mr Thorp said:

“There’s a significant cost to camera enforcement and if we were looking to do that across the piece I wouldn’t like to hazard a guess as to what that would cost.

“In terms of managing expectations, sometimes putting in 20mph makes it worse.”

‘Do you need to wait until somebody is killed by a speeding car?’

A parish council near Knaresborough has written to 32 North Yorkshire county councillors urging them to make 20mph the default speed limit in their area.

Goldsborough and Flaxby Parish Council said in the email action should be taken now to reduce the current 30mph limit before somebody is killed.

The council wrote the letter in support of the 20s Plenty campaign, which is a national initiative to make a 20mph speed limit normal on residential streets and in town and village centres.

The email says drivers “put their foot down” in Goldsborough even though it has a primary school. It adds that only about 15% of all the roads have pavements on both sides, forcing them to walk on the highways,

The red arrow shows the playground entrance in Goldsborough.

It adds:

“There is a high proportion of elderly residents in Goldsborough, many of whom may have hearing issues and reduced sight, and are physically less able to move out of the way quickly.

“There are not many street lights in the village and, as such, at dusk or in the dark, it is not easy for drivers to see people walking in or crossing the roads.”

Flaxby speed signs ‘in wrong place’

The email says the current 30mph signs in Flaxby “are completely in the wrong place, and drivers have already entered the village before they see the speed signs and even think about slowing down”.

It adds a speed survey in 2018 revealed 17.5% of motorists travelled over the 30mph speed limit. The correspondence also raises concerns about the lack of street lighting and the number of HGVs driving through the village to visit the weigh-station at Gill’s Farm, just past Coneythorpe.

HGVs often go along Shortsill Lane in Flaxby, which has no pavements.

The email says:

“Do you really need to wait until somebody is killed by a car speeding through a North Yorkshire village before you begin to tackle this important issue?”

North Yorkshire County Council is the highways authority for the county. The parish council wrote to 32 county councillors that sit on boards, panels and committees that could influence speeding decisions.

Caroline Greenhalgh, vice chairman of the parish council, told the Stray Ferret it had received just two responses from councillors so far, saying the matter was being considered.

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‘Exaggerating opposition’

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‘They save lives’

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‘What’s the point?’

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20’s Plenty

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More speed cameras?

Flaxby speed signs ‘in wrong place’

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