20mph limits welcomed
CITY CENTRE STREETS REDUCED FROM 30MPH IN COUNCIL MOVE
MOTORISTS and pedestrians in Nottingham have welcomed the introduction of ‘sensible’ new 20mph speed limits throughout the city centre.
New 20mph signs are visible on a number of roads in the area, such as the southern section of Mansfield Road and streets surrounding Nottingham Trent University (NTU).
Nottingham City Council announced plans for the speed limit changes – a proposed drop from 30mph in inner-city streets – in August last year.
They included Talbot Street, Clarendon Street, Peel Street, Dryden Street and Shakespeare Street, near the NTU city campus.
Others including Friar Lane, Angel Row, Goose Gate, Bath Street and Brook Street were proposed to become possible 20mph zones.
Kathy Chuda, from Mapperley Park, described the move as sensible.
“Motorists won’t like it but it’s good because speeding is shocking,” said the 73-year-old. “I don’t know about in the centre, but on the outside
roads. It’s so dangerous on some roads. I think 20mph is good in a place like this.”
In the plans, roads such as Wollaton Street, Derby Road and Maid Marian Way were excluded from changing to 20mph.
Ms Chuda added that this could cause confusion.
“I think there will be some confusion, people are just so used to how it was,” she said. “I think most people are pretty good but it only takes a few.”
Irfan Hussain, a taxi driver of 11 years, said the changes would not make much of a difference to him.
“We’re going 20mph anyway because of traffic,” he said.
“A lot of the time you can’t drive at more than 10mph.”
Graham Hull, 36, added: “I don’t tend to use cars around the centre, the city has done a good job with the tram lines encouraging people to not drive.
“I can understand the new limits because sometimes the speed and noise can be very over the top around here.
“I can definitely see more fines being handed out because of this change.”