20mph speed limit 'imposed' on village 'where it is not wanted'

A council's decision to impose a 20mph speed limit in a village where it was not wanted has been slammed by a Conservative councillor.

Oxfordshire County Council is rolling out 20mph areas as a replacement for 30mph areas where it is "supported by the local town or parish council and the local county councillor".

But county councillor for the village of North Leigh, near Witney, Liam Walker said he had withdrawn his support.

The authority has already introduced 20mph limits in well over 100 towns and parishes in a £8million scheme aimed at improving road safety, encouraging cycling and walking and reducing the county's carbon footprint.

Last week Andrew Gant, cabinet member for highways, approved a 20mph speed limit on the village roads at North Leigh, and an extension of the 40mph speed limit on the A4095 next to the village.

In a formal consultation carried out between March 6 and April 5, 42 per cent objected, 36 per cent supported and 16 per cent partially supported 20mph in North Leigh.

And 41 per cent objected, 40 per cent supported and 9 per cent partially supported 20mph in New Yatt.

45 per cent did support the 40mph speed limit on the A4095, only 33 per cent objected and 11 per cent partially supported it.

There was a heated debate when Mr Walker asked Mr Gant for the 20mph scheme not to go ahead. 

He said: “We opted to go forward on the basis that the parish council felt there was strong support in an informal consultation when combining the results for either a blanket 20mph or a 20mph zone in the village.

"In hindsight this was the wrong decision because the formal consultation has now shown that the majority of residents don’t support a change.

“My job is to represent the views of residents and they’ve now twice told me they don’t want 20mph in the village so I have to do my bit.”

Two council officers in the meeting advised Mr Gant to defer the decision to allow further discussions to take place with Mr Walker and North Leigh parish council.

But Mr Gant said the scheme had progressed to the decision-making stage because it had the initial support of the parish council and Mr Walker.

He said: “The job of this consultation is to test against policy. That is what we are here to do, not to go back to the start and say you changed your mind.

"A consultation is an opportunity for people to say what they think and the responsibility of people they’re saying it to, namely, me, is to read it and assess it and work out if it agrees with policy."

Thames Valley Police had concerns about the 20mph limit but did not object.

The force reiterated its view that it will enforce "where appropriate" based on "threat of harm, risk and resourcing".

But police objected to the proposed 40mph speed limit on the A4095, based on their view that it did not comply with government guidance on how speed limits are determined by local authorities.

Speaking after the meeting  Mr Walker said: “It is clear these consultations are just a box ticking exercise as the cabinet member then just ignores the results.

"What a waste of time and money.”

Oxfordshire County Council said there was the option for Mr Walker to challenge the decision by ‘calling it in’, but that was not taken.

All 20mph schemes are monitored afterwards and there is the option for them to be amended or removed, it said.