News

20mph pilot scheme agreed for Farnborough

By Tim Harris
March 19, 2013

SPEEDING traffic affecting the quality of life of residents in south Farnborough will be tackled by a new traffic scheme.

Those in Farnborough’s North Camp village have backed a ‘residential 20’ pilot scheme, which is expected to be rolled out from April.

Hampshire County Council confirmed preparations for the 20mph trial, including advertising traffic regulation orders, will also be made in April, with the implementation of the speed limits to follow on from this.

The North Camp residential 20mph scheme will be brought into force in Queens Road, Somerset Road, York Road, Peabody Road, Sherborne Avenue, Yeovil Close, Yeovil Road, Camp Road, High Street, Morris Road, Gordon Road, Gravel Road, Closeworth Road and a section of Lynchford Road.

The scheme was approved last September, and results from a winter consultation showed public support for the scheme.

A total of 73% of the 263 people surveyed said the scheme was a good idea and they were behind it, while 24% said it was not a good idea.

In addition, 42% said traffic speed is currently a problem for the quality of life, while 56% said it was affecting their safety.

John Wall, Hampshire county councillor for Farnborough south, said: “This shows that there is public concern. The scheme will be used to respond to the concerns of the residents and try to make things better for them.”

Cllr Wall confirmed there would be three speed monitoring points positioned in the North Camp 20mph zone, suggesting there could possibly be some form of speed gun. He said the North Camp speed trial would last for 12 months.

Councillor Mel Kendal, deputy leader and executive member for environment and transport for the county council, underlined how important it is for residents to obey the new speed limit if the scheme is to be successful.

“It is essential that local people support the introduction of 20mph speed restrictions,” he said.

“Department for Transport guidance states that generally, 20mph speed limits should be self enforcing.

“The police are unlikely to treat enforcement as a priority in the residential 20mph areas and so we will need the support of residents through their participation in community speed watch programmes.”

Cllr Wall echoed the comments of Cllr Kendal, suggesting the responsibility now lies with residents. He added: “The local residents have to buy into the scheme. If residents in the area are prepared to drive at 20mph rather than 25 or 30mph, then they will themselves slow the traffic and will get a benefit.

“I am going to watch it with interest.

“This is an experiment to see whether we can lower the current speeds to improve the quality of life for residents.”

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) explained how this type of traffic scheme can benefit all road users.

“Limits of 20mph are very effective at protecting people, especially children, pedestrians and cyclists, from being killed or injured,” said Kevin Clinton, head of road safety for RoSPA.

“Lower speeds make crashes less likely and less severe when they do happen. They also encourage more people to walk and cycle by providing a more pleasant and safer environment.”

The county council will roll out a residential 20 scheme in the Clarence Road, Connaught Road, Albert Street and Albany Road area in Hart, as well as eight other locations. The council said the 20mph speed limits will be indicated in North Camp by roadside signs and 20mph road marking ‘roundals’ on the road surface.

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What are the real downsides of a 20mph limit within the confines of such a small area? I don't see a problem with it at all.

Phooto, Farnborough
25/03/2013 at 11:02

The next Knellwood and St. Mark's forum is May and I believe that the format is changing. Community Speedwatch operates in that area and extra volunteers have come from the 20mph trial consultation.

County Councillor John Wall - Farnborough South Division (@CllrJohnWall), Farnborough, Hampshire
24/03/2013 at 12:09

Police forums are normaly every 3 months so maybe you should invite the traffic police to give a presentation at your next meeting, you may learn that a practical application of the law works better than ridgid policing

peter hensman
24/03/2013 at 09:26

I was at the most recent Knellwood and St. Mark's policing forum in November last year where I made a presentation on the 20mph trial.

County Councillor John Wall - Farnborough South Division (@CllrJohnWall), Farnborough, Hampshire
23/03/2013 at 19:25

@ County Councillor John Wall - Farnborough South Division (@CllrJohnWall), I don't know how the traffic police set their priorities. With respect as a County Councillor it is your job to know. It may be an idea for you to sit down with the traffic police and discus their brief and how thinly they are stretched. I attend my wards police forum where local people are kept up to date on what is happening on the patch where they live and are invited to name their priorities. your statement begs me to ask. When was the last time that you attended your wards police forum?????

peter hensman
23/03/2013 at 17:31

I don't know how the traffic police set their priorities.

County Councillor John Wall - Farnborough South Division (@CllrJohnWall), Farnborough, Hampshire
23/03/2013 at 16:18

@ AC2009 The job of the volunteers is to make sure the equipment stays put and does not go walkabout. The speed of the car activates the equipment and not the volunteer. Another very good idear is for an Officer to pull over speedsters and give them a choice a penalty ticket or answer some questions from a group of young children. The question that works is Why are you trying to kill me by speeding? I understand that more than one strong man has been reduced to tears.

peter hensman
23/03/2013 at 15:12

@John: Maybe this could be a good opportunity for you to stand up and voice the public’s opinion. By that I’m referring to this case not appealing to the Police’s interests (to be clear: it’s not the fault of the Police per se, it’s the fault of the system that governs them). 20mph zones are usually areas of high risk; normally pedestrian and it’s easy to see that the opportunity for death and serious injury. However, there is rarely any speed enforcement in these areas. Roads that are hazard free with good visibility often seem to attract unrealistically low speed limits followed by road the clock enforcement; why is that ?

Hector
23/03/2013 at 11:32

Community Speedwatch is run in conjunction with the police.

County Councillor John Wall - Farnborough South Division (@CllrJohnWall), Farnborough, Hampshire
21/03/2013 at 16:36

I don't think getting volunteers involved is acceptabel at all.. A lot iof people have a negative view of certain types of driver, such as people driving 4x4s, BMWs, sports cars etc., or young drivers etc., and there is a risk that a volunteer would just look for whatever profile of driver they don't like, ignoring other speeding mororists. I can imagine some retired people just looking out for young drivers to report.

AC2009
21/03/2013 at 08:46

As part of the consultation volunteers for Community Speedwatch were sought -and the response was positive.

County Councillor John Wall - Farnborough South Division (@CllrJohnWall), Farnborough, Hampshire
20/03/2013 at 20:29

Having driven through the area during the day I have not managed to achieve the speed limit let alone break it which leads me to think that the problem may be in the evenings and that is when it will need inforcing. One idea is for volunteers to work with the Police to monitor the speed, speedsters will only recieve a warning but the information will help the police to identify where and when to set up safety camara's manned by an officer, Those caught could then be prosecuted. Take it up with your local beat officer he will have all the details

peter hensman
20/03/2013 at 16:05

No sleeping policemen are included. They're best avoided as they're not good for emergency vehicles and can also transmit vibration into the foundations of nearby houses.

County Councillor John Wall - Farnborough South Division (@CllrJohnWall), Farnborough, Hampshire
20/03/2013 at 14:24

If the speed limit reduction to 20mph is aided by the introduction of speed humps (or "cushions" as Hampshire County call them), let us hope that they are maintained better than those in Aldershot.

At very regular intervals, about 6 monthly, the shoulders of the humps wear out revealing very jagged edges - tyre ripping for the use of!

H C C seem to have got either the design or build wrong as they should not need reparing as often as they do.

Such repairs are just patches over the affected part and we know will not last long.

Doubltess they are to a standard design but cause damage payments from H C C to motorists to rise signifcantly.