Safer speeds for residential streets

Friday, August 15 2008

Bath MP Don Foster is continuing his call for 20mph zones to be implemented in the city’s most residential streets. Liberal Democrats across Bath have been pushing for safer speeds on these roads to provide safer communities.  Residents have also been calling for these limits, as evidenced by recent campaigns in Weston, Greenway Lane and Walcot Street. 

Commenting, Don said, "Residents across Bath know that their streets are unsafe at current speeds and are joining our 'Twenty is Plenty' campaign.

"I was delighted that three Liberal Democrat Councillors visited Portsmouth, where this scheme has been implemented. They have found out valuable information, and perhaps most importantly, that the scheme is so popular – people want it.

"Parents no longer feel safe letting their children out to play, and residents are increasingly sick of 'rat run' drivers. The Council needs to understand that these zones aren’t just needed next to schools; they need to be across the majority of our residential roads. Currently it seems as though there needs be a serious accident before the Conservative Council is prepared to even look at the issue. We deserve better than that."

Cllr Paul Crossley (Lib Dem, Southdown) went to Portsmouth to understand how the scheme had been implemented. He said, "The Liberal Democrats have been campaigning on this for our area and so far we have met with a stone wall from the Conservatives. What Portsmouth has shown that this is easy to implement and is popular.

"While the narrow Victorian streets of Portsmouth lend themselves particularly well to the lower limit, there are still numerous roads in our authority where 20mph limits would be sensible."

You can join the Lib Dems calling for 20mph limits by visiting http://ourcampaign.org.uk/twentyisplenty