LOCAL SPEED LIMITS OPENED UP TO PUBLIC QUESTIONING (19/06/03)

The Liberal Democrat speed management policy has been totally discredited. At the County Council Scrutiny Committee (19th June 03), they have been forced to bow to the demands for a review of the policy and its implementation, which has been consistently sought by the Conservative group and members of the public.

All aspects of the policy – the prioritisation and the cost of the programme, the inflexible imposition of speed limits in settlements and outside schools, unnecessary buffer zones, and sign proliferation – are now to be reviewed.

Tim Carroll, the Liberal Democrat portfolio holder for Highways should consider his position in view of his complete failure to meet the demands of residents and motorists in this important area of road safety.

Fatalities on Somerset roads are almost twice that of the national average.Conservatives are demanding an explanation for this appalling statistic.

Denis Underhill, the Conservative spokesperson for Highways, said, ‘I welcome this review of the speed management policy which has been unsympathetically implemented.Much of the policy has been shown to be wrong.For a successful speed policy, the motorist needs to be convinced of its rationale.With police resources stretched, it is essential that motorists accept sensible speed limits.

The implementation of the speed management policy should be stopped now and a fundamental examination and justification of all aspects should be addressed as a matter of urgency.I hope the public will be allowed to participate constructively to this review.

‘This county’s ‘one size fits all’ approach to speeding in villages and outside schools has at last been discredited’, said Christopher Wolverson, leader of the Conservative Group on the County Council.‘There are now far too many ineffective speed limits with far too many signs, right across the county.At last the residents can now have a say in changing this blinkered policy.

Councillor Wolverson was referring to the decision this week at a meeting of Somerset County Council’s Scrutiny Committee, to try and change the Council’s current policy.‘The police do not want to enforce these 20mph limits and their existence often pollutes the village scene.Let’s focus on the County’s accident black spots and reduce the loss of life on Somerset’s roads.’