20 mph zones - Green councillors have led the way

Responding to reports (1) that the government will be reducing speed limits in residential areas and around schools, the Green Party has pointed ot the leading role played by Green councillors around the country - and has called for the government to go even further.

The party's deputy leader Adrian Ramsay - leader of the opposition on Norwich City Council, where the first phase of a new scheme covering dozens of streets is to begin operating on Monday 20 April - said today:

"We welcome progress on measures to cut accidents, and Green councillors around the country have long been pushing hard for this. But if the government is serious it should go further."

"Lower speed limits outside schools are essential, but Greens are calling for full-blown Safe Routes to School programmes everywhere, which involves a more comprehensive approach to keeping school children safe."

The Safe Routes to School package involves a joined-up approach, assessing the most appropriate measures for a given school, ranging from rearranging junctions and crossings to ensuring the best possible provision for cycling and walking. Transport consultant and Lancaster Green Party councillor Professor John Whitelegg said today, "You can implement a package like this for as little as £60,000 per school. If you do it for several neighbouring schools at once, the benefits reinforce one another. If we did this everywhere we'd make school travel safer and we'd cut morning peak-hour traffic by 10%."

Green successes

Residential speed restrictions have been an area of success for Greens in local authorities around the country. Green Party councillors Matt Follett and Rupert Read proposed the motions that initiated the 20 mph schemes in Leicester and Norwich respectively, and councillor Katy Dawson played a leading role for the Green Party on Islington council (2). The strong Green Party group on Brighton & Hove City Council has had similar successes.

Charlie Bolton, Green Party councillor for Southville in Bristol, where pilot 20mph zones were mooted in January 2009, said: "Residents like them, the streets become friendlier, and accident rates drop. I'm especially pleased that my own ward has been nominated for this trial, and I'd like to see it spread quickly across Bristol."

Greens on the London Assembly are currently pushing for 20 mph zones. Jenny Jones AM commented today: "20mph is largely accepted already as a way of saving lives, preventing injuries, and making our streets more pleasant to live on."