MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

STRATEGIC PLANNING, SUSTAINABILITY AND

TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

 

13 JANUARY 2016

 

REFERENCE FROM COUNCIL

 

 

MOTION - 20 MPH SPEED LIMITS

 

At the meeting of the Council held on 9 December 2015, the following motion was moved by Councillor Mrs Joy, seconded by Councillor English:

 

This Council notes:

 

·           Speed limits on Britain’s residential roads are 60% higher than comparable European nations;

·           More than half of all road accidents occur on roads with 30 mph limits;

·           Reducing speed limits on residential roads has been found to lower the incidence of accidents and the number of fatalities and serious accidents that result from them;

·           The significant contribution a 20 mph limit could make to improving Maidstone’s air quality;

·           New Department of Transport guidelines making it easier for local authorities to adopt a 20 mph default speed limit on residential roads; and

·           The significant support shown for 20 mph limits in recent surveys of local residents.

 

This Council therefore resolves to:

 

Use all appropriate avenues to press the County Council to reconsider its existing policies on speed limits and to support a Borough-wide 20 mph speed limit on residential roads.

 

An amendment was moved by Councillor Mrs Blackmore, seconded by Councillor Burton, that the motion be amended by the deletion of the words “Use all appropriate avenues to press the County Council to reconsider its existing policies on speed limits and to support a Borough-wide 20 mph speed limit on residential roads.” from the second paragraph and the insertion of the following:

 

Request that the Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transportation Committee review all the available evidence; consider the implementation of 20 mph speed limits within the Borough of Maidstone; and refer the findings to the Cabinet Member at Kent County Council.

The amendment was carried.

 

An amendment was then moved by Councillor Harper, seconded by Councillor McKay, that the substantive motion be further amended by the addition of the following words after the word “Maidstone” in the second paragraph:

 

“in neighbourhoods where residents support them;”

 

The amendment was lost, the point being made that the substantive motion if carried would provide an opportunity to consider all of the finer details.

 

The substantive motion was then put to the vote and carried.

 

RECOMMENDED:  That the Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transportation Committee review all the available evidence; consider the implementation of 20 mph speed limits within the Borough of Maidstone; and refer the findings to the Cabinet Member at Kent County Council.

 

NOTE:   A briefing note provided by the Officers to assist the Council in its consideration of the motion is attached as Appendix A.