Two new 20mph zones approved in Cambridgeshire as locals call for safer roads
New 20mph speed limits are set to be introduced in St Ives and Fulbourn after people said they wanted the roads to be safer. Cambridgeshire County Council approved the two schemes after being told there was an “urgent need” to change drivers’ behaviour. The St Ives 20mph zone is due to cover the southern half of the town.
In Fulbourn, a number of roads are due to have 20mph speed limits introduced, as well as 40mph buffer zones on some of the roads heading into the village. The two schemes are part of a wider county council programme to introduce more 20mph areas with the aim of improving road safety.
The county council said the plans to introduce 20mph speed limits in St Ives and Fulbourn are intended to “reduce traffic speeds to create a safer environment for all road users”. The authority added that the design of most of the roads meant the lower speed limits are expected to be “largely self-enforcing”.
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The county council said: “20mph schemes can have quality of life and community benefits, including encouraging healthier and more sustainable transport modes such as walking and cycling. There may also be environmental benefits as driving slower at a steady pace can save fuel and reduce pollution.”
People living in Fulbourn urged councillors to approve the implementation of the 20mph speed limits at a highways and transport committee meeting this week (October 1). Dr Christopher Lochland said as the village is near to Cambridge it sees a lot of through traffic of drivers going to and from the city.
He said the 20mph limits would increase safety and create a “better environment for all”. He said: “This is a strong nudge to changing drivers’ behaviour and towards safer speeds in our village.”
Another Fulbourn resident said there is an “urgent need” to encourage a different “attitude and behaviour” to people driving through the village. One supporter from the village added that they believed the change would reduce the number of collisions in the village.
Some concerns about the proposals had been raised in a consultation conducted by the county council, with some saying they did not think it would be self enforcing. However, councillors said it appeared the majority of people in the village who had commented on the plans were in support of the scheme.
Differing views on the St Ives 20mph zone had been offered during the public consultation. One parent in the town said they believed the 20mph zone was a good idea as their seven-year-old had been hit by a car. They said: “People drive too fast especially when there is a park with a lot of children.”
Others agreed with this, with one person saying it was “concerning” how some drivers “carelessly drive faster than required around the area”. Another person added that they believed the 20mph speed limits would discourage drivers from using residential roads. However, some people in the town said they did not think the 20mph zone would make a difference.
Some argued the plans would be a “waste of money” and raised concerns that the lower speed limit would be ‘disregarded’ by frustrated drivers. Officers at the county council said traffic calming measures could be investigated to address concerns of non-compliance if this did occur, but said it was hoped it would be “relatively self-enforcing”. When a decision was put to a vote, both of the 20mph schemes were approved by the committee.