Issue - decisions

With the consent of Council, Councillor Claire Crilly moved and Councillor Steve Allsopp seconded an altered motion as set out in the Supplementary Papers:

“This Council recognises that:

•   Lower speeds lead to safer streets which are easier for cycling and walking. Reducing the speed limit to 20 mph is recognised as one of the simplest ways to reduce road casualties and make streets feel safer.

•   The risk of serious injury or death to pedestrians or cyclists increases disproportionately as speeds increase. At an impact speed of 30 km/h (18.5 mph) more than 95% of the pedestrians survive a crash with a passenger car; at an impact speed of 50 km/h (31.1 mph) approximately 85% of the pedestrians survive such a crash1.

•   20 mph is a much safer speed — a study into 20 mph zones in London found that casualties fell by an average of 42%2.

•   Lower speed limits are also linked with increased cycling and walking. In the Netherlands 30 km/h (18.5 mph) covers 70%3 of the residential street network and is deemed a safe speed for cyclists, pedestrians and light vehicles to mix.

•   20mph as the standard urban speed limit has become more and more widespread in recent years, with many towns and cities adopting this approach. Bristol, Oxford and Newcastle are just a few of the areas that are returning speeds to 20mph.

•   Potential non-compliance with the limit from a proportion of road users is not a sufficient reason for inaction and that lower average speeds will represent an important step in encouraging sustainable and healthier transport options in the town.

Therefore, Council calls for a Cabinet report on how 20mph limits become the standard speed for most streets in the built-up areas of Swindon. Exceptions would only be permitted where there is a strategic traffic function requiring higher speeds.’

Councillor Roger Smith moved and Councillor Vinay Manro seconded that the Motion be amended to read:

“This Council voted through an almost identical Motion on 20mph in September 2018.

The position remains the same and this Council continues to:

• Recognise there can be benefits to areas with 20mph speed limits, including to public safety and encouraging more physical activity, such as walking and cycling.

• Support the implementation, where applicable, of 20mph speed limits in line with the Council’s current policy as stated on our website and where it has the support of Ward Councillors.

This Council further notes that:

• The Cabinet Forward Tracker for February 2021 includes a report on updating our accident reduction strategy. The new strategy and the Cabinet report is currently being drafted and is likely to impact on our existing approach to 20mph speed limits.

• The Council currently justifies and prioritises road safety schemes using historic records of where accidents are taking place. The Cabinet Member is currently exploring a move to a “risk based” approach where priority will be given to locations where the risk of serious injury or death can be most reduced. This “safe systems” approach would then feed through into looking at things like reduced speed limits where there are lots of vulnerable pedestrians.

This Council requests:

A)        That the Cabinet Member for Highways, Maintenance and Waste Services continues to investigate specific cases for the introduction of 20mph speed limits as raised by ward members.

B)        Consults on the new approach following the report to Cabinet in February and ensures that the council’s website guidance is reflective of the new policy.

The amendment was put to the vote and declared carried.

The substantive motion was put to vote and declared carried.