Is 20 plenty?

Your views on traffic and parking in the town
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JudieT
Posts: 71
Joined: Wed 24 Aug 2005 12:00 am
Location: Ware

Is 20 plenty?

Post by JudieT »

Having seen the population of Ware grow so much in the last 15-20 years, and now really noticing how fast some drivers rush along our residential streets I am wondering if a campaign to reduce speed limits on residential roads would be a worthwhile thing to do?
I live on Musley Hill which has houses both sides and am often aghast at the speeds some people reach especially when I am parked and either going to get in or out of my car on the road side. It is becoming quite dangerous particularly where cars are parked both sides of the road and I know that other roads are similarly affected - High Oak Road for example.
I'd be interested to know if there was any support for a campaign and indeed how one would go about it.
Maureen
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri 28 Mar 2003 12:00 am
Location: Ware

Re: Is 20 plenty?

Post by Maureen »

I think it's a great idea! There's lots of useful info via these links:

http://www.20splentyforus.org.uk/
http://www.brake.org.uk/component/conte ... 0coalition
The Masked Woler
Posts: 344
Joined: Wed 08 Jan 2014 11:52 am

Re: Is 20 plenty?

Post by The Masked Woler »

Drivers don't obey the current limit so I don't see it would have much effect - I have never seen any enforcement of the Bourne 20mph.
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JudieT
Posts: 71
Joined: Wed 24 Aug 2005 12:00 am
Location: Ware

Re: Is 20 plenty?

Post by JudieT »

I agree about enforcement, but at least it will make some people aware that they shouldn't be speeding up our little roads and if you go over the bumps in the Bourne too quick you certainly don't do your suspension any good.
Matt40
Posts: 266
Joined: Mon 12 Apr 2010 12:00 am
Location: Ware

Re: Is 20 plenty?

Post by Matt40 »

Unfortunately the bumps in The Bourne were 'sanded down' a few years back. This means that the 'chavvy' fiestas with their large exhaust pipes regularly do about 60-70 mph along it! Signs wouldn't make a jot of difference I'm afraid to say.
QMouse
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue 17 Jun 2008 12:00 am
Location: Ware

Re: Is 20 plenty?

Post by QMouse »

If the current 30 mph limit is not enforced, then what is the point of a lower limit, that’s not enforced. Its just numbers. Complain to the police, a few hours a month with a speed gun will get the message across far better.
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Andy B
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Location: New Zealand

Re: Is 20 plenty?

Post by Andy B »

I raised this a few years ago as when living on Westmill Road the speed that some cars went past was worthy of a motorway. The general reaction then was the same as the one by Qmouse and I quite agree the only way to achieve a speed reduction is to re-organise the roads layout as they did in a town in Holland which then changes the whole infrastructure of the roads in the town. I was not sure then as now if the majority of the Ware population would want the inconvenience of getting across town that slow as always its the minority making it bad for the majority.
Scottman
Posts: 234
Joined: Tue 21 Apr 2009 12:00 am

Re: Is 20 plenty?

Post by Scottman »

Most of these 20 mph zones in major towns are 'policed' by average speed cameras at the entrance and exit of the zone. So it's useless - you could do 50 mph in some situations but its offset by slowing and stopping at junctions etc. Waste of time, and money. Road redesign is the only way, and intelligent driver education ..
Matt40
Posts: 266
Joined: Mon 12 Apr 2010 12:00 am
Location: Ware

Re: Is 20 plenty?

Post by Matt40 »

Scottman, i hope that's 'intelligent education' for drivers and not 'intelligent driver' education :D

Does anyone think there is some mileage in the thought that if you lower the bar to 20mph then people would only drive say at 30 and not 40 or is it just mostly idiots that are the issue? I mean, one of the reasons they won't raise the motorway speed to 80 is because people would start doing 90 instead of 80.
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Pat-H
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Joined: Thu 19 Apr 2007 12:00 am
Location: Ware

Re: Is 20 plenty?

Post by Pat-H »

Like most traffic related legislation and enforcement it's driven by actual accidents and fatalities.
So unless people regularly have accidents and are seriously injured or die they won't enforce or change the regulation.

The speeds may seem fast and even be fast but if nobody is injured or killed then few will care.

As a country we decided a long time back that the car was king (and we have been building roads and removing trains and buses ever since)
And that attitude is now so firmly engrained people won't accept control and restrictions.

Just back from Holland and the attitude is so different. In an accident involving a bicycle and car the car driver is presumed at fault unless they can prove otherwise and that's not easy as most juntions and roundabouts are set to give the bikes priority.
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