The Green Party welcomed the report to the Highways Committee, but will
continue to campaign for a city-wide 20mph limit on all residential roads.
Cllr Jillian Creasy said,”Green Councillors put a motion to Sheffield
Council in November, calling for a city-wide 20mph speed limit on all
residential roads other than main routes. We also helped residents take
petitions to our Community Assembly. We welcome any progress, but we think
the proposals going to the Highways Committee for approval on Thursday fall
well short of what is needed. The point about 20’s Plenty schemes is that
they cover all residential roads over a wide area. This has been the secret
of success in Portsmouth and London. It sends a consistent message about the
proper speed on residential roads, which will soon feel as normal as the
default 30mph limit on any urban road. Their success relies on clear signage
and changed behaviour rather than physical humps or blocks; so they need to
be widespread and well advertised. A piecemeal approach in each Community
Assembly area won’t have the same impact at all.
Cllr Creasy continued, “We are also concerned that the scheme won’t be
funded beyond the preliminary planning stages. The Council is still aiming
to go ahead with work to repair roads across the city. 40% of road signs are
to be replaced and all the roads resurfaced. Surely this would be an ideal
opportunity to install the necessary signs? There is no mention of this in
the report to the Highways Committee which shows a lack of joined up
thinking.”