“We warned that voting for these parties would lead to anti-car measures”: 20mph speed limit plan to “really encourage more cycle journeys” slammed as “nuts” and “extremely worrying”

Oxford added multiple features at the same time: 20mph, replaced main road parking with cycle lanes, stopped through side streets, and make most parking resident only.  Most came during the COVID reduced traffic.

It's certainly made life more pleasant within local neighbourhoods, for cycling, walking and lower traffic noise.  Access into and around the city is much harder by motor vehicle, which of course includes bus!

In my experience BCP has huge traffic flows with people rat-running all over the place.  I would suggest the measures be introduced gradually, especially the step of stopping side roads.

20mph limits are good - it takes a little while to get used to but that aspect makes for much lower stress.  A traffic jam in a 20 limit is just a stuck as - in a 30 limit you get to the next jam sooner and spend more time in it.

"I would support 20mph near schools but a general policy I think is nuts"

But how do people get near the school in the first place , Sir Robert? 

People are getting more and more stupid as the years pass. I don't exactly know what's causing it, but would bet that it's probably a direct effect of the ever increasing "nanny state" making the people more childlike. Whatever the cause, the effect is undeniable and we are becoming a people who could no longer look forward further than we could throw, and yet often proclaim to be wiser than people of old. Is this not the definition of a fool? We have become fools and we deserve everything that's coming for us as inevitable consequences. Maybe, after, if we aren't wiped out, we can grow to be wise again.

A few lefty inner city suburbs in Melbourne Australia are bringing in the equivalent of 20 mph speed zones, getting this response from the Victorian top cop;

Victorian Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton has slammed a Melbourne council's decision to expand the number of roads with 30km/h speed limits as “ridiculous”.

Speaking on ABC Radio Melbourne, Chief Commissioner Patton was questioned about the City of Yarra’s proposal to limit more roads to 30km/h in the inner-city suburbs of Fitzroy and Collingwood, as reported earlier this week.

“I just think that’s ridiculous, 30 kilometres,” Mr Patton said live on air.

I'm an older person, and I live in America. 

Personally, I think here in America a 15 mph zone should be the speed limit in school zones instead of 25, kids are killed at 25, though most people drive 10 over in school zones anyway, so 15 means they'll be driving 25, whereas now they're going 35.  Cops are spotty, sometimes they watch for speeders in school zones, but most of the time they don't.

Same is true for residential areas, here in America most residential neighborhoods are 35 mph, these should be posted for 25 because everyone drives 10 over.  Very few policing agencies patrol neighborhoods for speeders.

On freeways I think we need to up the speed limit to 85 during the day and 75 at night.  But, in order for that to work in the USA, we would need to strictly enforce lane usage, we get people loffing along below the speed limit in the fast lane, forcing others to pass them on their right which isn't safe, but the cops here do nothing about it.  Traffic would move a lot better if people stayed in the right lane unless passing, that is the standard in Europe, and it should be here too.

Good. Nothing but ancient old codgers and feral *ssholes  driving around. I have to go to visit my parents a few times a year, it;s torture. Hideous place

Quote:

“Many of us warned that voting for these parties would see a return to anti-car measures, and this announcement, coupled with others such as the closure of Poole Park to through traffic, again without pre-consultation, shows that we were right.”

maybe voters took that as a promise and voted according for pro people measures.

Well if they all drove at 30 in a 30 etc etc Councils wouldn't have a problem to sort out, how about adhering to the highway code for starters, it's not actually that difficult, but no, certain members of society are above the highway code and then injure, maim, kill people, children and in some cases even kill their own children. The Government do every thing they can to protect people from themselves, but no, some people just believe they know better.

The dangerous motoring hobby needs to learn its place.

The ongoing war against motortwats.

This is a positive story, but the outrage-generation factory that is road.cc has to troll us with daft comments by opposition Councillors.

Anti-car?  It seems to me that you can either be pro-car or pro-people, not both, and it's pretty obvious which the tories are.

Speaking of which, I think the greatest lesson from Mr Bates vs the Post Office is that that is how the powerful always treat the plebs, and that the plebs can only win by getting together.  In BC&P the plebs voted for it, but the party of the powerful don't like it.

We have 20 mph throughout much of Southampton now as part of a phased roll out. My observations are these:

It's much more pleasant to walk or cycle when people are driving at 20.

Driving at 20 makes no significant difference to journey time.

Most people ignore the new speed limit.

Dangerous driving has increased. Once you've ignored the 20 then there's no higher limit to ignore, so why not drive 40.

When I'm driving (at 20) I'm often overtaken by other cars, even when it's dangerous to do so. I've noticed an increase in other dangerous manoeuvres, such as running red lights, or driving at an extended distance on the wrong side of the road to skip the queue and turn down a side road. Some drivers seem very frustrated.

Congestion and overall traffic levels are still below what they were before COVID.

ok, one more time for the 20 mph driver myths 

speedometer watching/ I'll get bored / doze off  - "I'm incompetent"

cars aren't designed for 20 mph - better stay out of all those jams then (which your gearbox has survived thus far)

it can't/ won't be enforced - driver lawlessness fully evident

more pollution - less actually, but thanks for the threat - and for the acknowledgment that you cause pollition. 

roads will wear out more quickly because (something something) cars are putting their weight on the same spot for longer - ew kay. Maybe have a smaller car for starters? 

20 mph ambulances - less cars causing congestion would speed them on their way to the extent that this is even a real issue - availability of crewed vehicles (not stuck at hospitals is the major determinant, and paramedic vacancies); likewise with buses - delayed and deprived of passengers by cars. I'd happily exempt both from 20 mph. 

outside schools is OK - nice attempted containment trick, but shame the existing rules aren't working all that well.  

The degree of driver hysteria about 20 mph suggests that  30 mph isn't going that well.  Another pensioner knocked over by a car - this needs to end. 

After that, it usually drifts into doom and conspiracy theory the witchery de nos jours : it's all about control, "they" are taking everything away from "us" (yeah, global warming's gonna do all that), 15 minute cities, banning all cars (don't threaten me with a good time!), something something corruption. 

Incomprehension that councillors have got elected on this sort of ticket. Anything not to engage with the issue, 

20 mph means slow cars and commercial vehicles in low gears and higher RPM producing higher rates of emissions ... that's called physics ...

As we've seen in Wales it also means the cancellation of bus routes and longer response times for emergency services.

Be careful what you wish for ....