We are waiting for an update on the actions that the Village Association took in relation to ANPR machines and 20 mph limits. As you may be aware we are banging on about speeding at the moment. There seems to be doubt in some corners that there is persistent speeding in the village. Well to those ‘flat earthers’ you really need to stand on Hollesley Road just to the side of the Sorrel and check out the speed of some of the vehicles coming west down what is a very narrow and pavementless piece of tarmac. It is always difficult to gauge the actual speed of a car/van/tractor but I think the question should be ‘is the vehicle being driven appropriately for the conditions?’ A speed limit is a maximum limit not a target and should be reduced when conditions dictate. It has always been a mystery to me why we have a thirty mph limit in this village when a lower limit is more commensurate with the conditions. Perhaps it will be when we have an unfortunate incident for those who have some influence to take action.
And looking at our own County Council they have three conditions for the consideration of a 20 mph limit, of which two must comply. These are;
- Current mean speeds are at or below 24 mph
- There is a depth of residential development and evidence of pedestrian and cyclist movements within the area
- There is a record of injury accidents (based on police accident data) within the area within the last five years
Have our County Council tested the first condition. I know that there has been a request for a 20 mph speed limit submitted. I really do not understand the whole of the second requirement, depth? As for the third condition you have to have accidents to have a speed limit which is designed to prevent them. Is that the wrong way round? It would be interesting to find out how important these conditions are for the Council to consider a request.
Shottisham Blog 