Town hall backs plan to slam the brakes on motorists
20mph limit on all residential roads
A20MPH limit could soon be imposed on all residential roads in Stockport. Town hall chiefs have backed calls for a ‘20s plenty’ approach throughout the borough.
The full council also voted for potentially restoring some school crossing patrols, speed indicator devices in every ward and bringing back the Community Speedwatch programme with police.
There could be more speed cameras on the roads, too.
The Liberal Democrat group moved a motion calling for the roll out of 20mph zones, with Coun Mark Roberts telling the meeting it was important the council took action to ‘reduce the harm’ on the borough’s residential roads.
A20MPH limit could soon be imposed on all residential roads in Stockport.
Town hall chiefs have backed calls for a ‘20s plenty’ approach throughout the borough - and there could be more speed cameras on the roads, too.
At the latest meeting of the full council, members also voted for potentially restoring some school crossing patrols, speed indicator devices in every ward and bringing back the Community Speedwatch programme with police.
The Liberal Democrat group initially moved a motion calling for the roll out of 20mph zones, followed by a Tory amendment putting forward ‘bolder’ proposals to cover ‘main roads and arterial routes.’
While both groups agreed on the amended motion, Labour abstained, citing concerns over spending money without ‘evidence’ to justify the outlay.
The Lib Dems’ Coun Mark Roberts told the meeting it was important the council took action to ‘reduce the harm’ on the borough’s residential roads.
He said: “This harm comes from a national speed limit that needs some serious updating - particularly given the urbanisation of the UK and congested parking issues that blight the borough - narrowing our roads and funnelling traffic into tight lanes.
“This won’t be a silver bullet, it won’t stop every anti-social driver using our roads as a race track. But I really believe it will help.”
Coun Roberts added that he had been shocked by recent statistics which showed that there had been 395 road casualties and eight deaths in Stockport in 2019 a - with the vast majority on 30mph roads.
“They are the road we live on and our children walk to school on,” he said.
“This could really make a difference and it could really save lives.”
Conservative Coun Oliver Johnstone acknowledged the ‘merits’ of the Lib Dem motion, but said the Tories wanted to go ‘much further’ by addressing ‘urgent road safety matters’ not covered by the original motion.
“While we can all agree that speeding on residential roads is a very serious problems. Some of the most pressing examples of hotspots can be found on our main roads and arterial routes,” he said.
“By backing the Conservative amendment we can start to tackle the endemic speeding on our main roads that blights the lives of local residents
“We can expand the local action available to local councillors and their communities by drawing up proposals to provide speed indicator devices for every ward.
“And, finally, by voting for the Conservative amendment we can right the wrongs of previous Labour and Lib Dem administrations and bring back school crossing patrols.”
However Labour’s Coun Sheila Bailey took issue with Coun Johnstone’s comments about his ‘frustration’ with officers’ reliance on available data dismissal of local knowledge and experience.
The cabinet member for Sustainable Stockport said residents’ perceptions of speed and road safety were sometimes at odds with reality - and hard evidence was needed before spending could be signed off.
“If the local authority is to spend money investing in any kind of change in the highways structure it has to have the evidence that justifies the expenditure,” she said.
The Lib Dem and Conservative groups voted for the amended motion, while Labour group abstained. The motion was carried.
An all-group working party will now be established ‘as soon as possible’ to work on implementing the 20mph zones and explore the feasibility of wider measures.
The full meeting of Stockport council was held at the town hall on Thursday, July 15.