Danny Dorling is quite right (Telegraph 9.12.10). Reducing the speeds on Sheffield’s residential roads to 20mph could drastically reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads, which are now the nation’s major killer. Unfortunately the Council and the Community Assemblies have not caught the vision of how this simple and cheap measure could reduce the death toll by 40% and substantially reduce the demand on the health service, saving the taxpayer money and saving many families the awful grief of losing a loved one. It also reduces emissions and noise. The Green Party originally put a motion to full council suggesting that all residential roads in Sheffield should have a 20mph speed limit, as has happened in Portsmouth. The Lib Dem Council declared that this decision should be made at Community Assemblies, thus denying a debate about whether to make all of Sheffield’s residential streets a 20’s plenty zone. Now Community Assemblies are saying that they can’t declare the whole area a 20mph zone so are taking small estates like Strabroke and Winn Gardens, one estate at a time. At this rate we will be celebrating the next century before our residential streets have a safe speed limit. Please attend your next Community Assembly meeting and demand that your area should be a 20’s Plenty zone.
Yours sincerely
Graham Wroe
Sheffield Green Party
The Southey East scheme was earmarked 200k in July 2010 for it – but cancelled by the Liberals because the young of Longley are not worth the investment. The Community Assembly were no help trying to get it done and just accept what they are told.