Brighton & Hove Friends of the Earth

News Release

For Immediate Release, Wednesday, 2 October, 2013

20mph support

Brighton & Hove Friends of the Earth (BHFOE) has today submitted its response to Brighton & Hove City Council’s consultation on phase 2 of the 20mph speed limits [1].  BHFOE is strongly supportive [2] of the Council’s proposals to extend the 20mph speed limit into the residential areas, while leaving the main arterial roads as they are.  This will make the city’s streets safer for people, encourage walking and cycling and will lead to many health and economic benefits.

In addition, BHFOE would like to see a few extensions to the 20mph area on:

1.     Preston Road to the southern end of Preston Park (to include the zebra crossings)
2.     Ditchling Road to Fiveways to extend the 20mph zone past Downs Infants and Downs Junior schools
3.     Freshfield Road south of Manor Hill / Firle Road along with Upper Bedford St and Bedford Street which are quite narrow and residential in nature with many schools nearby
4. Madeira Drive and Dukes Mound which at present look excluded from the proposals
However, BHFOE is also proposing that the following roads which are important bus routes remain at 30mph:

1.     Portland Road (2, 2A, 7, 25, 46, 49)
2.     Shirley Drive (81, 81C)
3.     Surrenden Road (5B, 55)
4.     Braybon Avenue (5B, 55)
5.     Carden Avenue (its whole length) (5, 5B, 26, 46, 55, 56)
6.     Winfield Avenue (5, 56)
7.     Crowhurst Road (5B, 24, 26, 55, 56)
8.     Carden Hill (north of Keymer Road) (26, 46, 56)
9.     Eastern Road (1, 1A, 2, 2A, 7, 14C, 23, 37, 37A, 37B, 40X, 52, 270)
10.  Arundel Road north of Eastern Road (1, 1A, 2, 2A, 7, 14C, 23, 37, 37A, 37B, 40X, 52, 270)
11.  Whitehawk Way (except between Whitehawk Road and Piltdown Road which should become 20mph) (1, 1A, 21, 84)
12. Roedean Road (7, 23, 47, 52, 57)
BHFOE would also like action taken on Mill Road in the South Downs National Park to reduce the speed limit from 60mph to 40mph to improve safety, particularly for people trying to access Waterhall from Green Ridge [3].

Chris Todd from BHFOE said:

“There is a lot of evidence that 20mph zones increase safety and have significant health and economic benefits.  We are therefore firmly behind the Council’s desire to expand the 20mph speed limits across residential areas.  This is good news for city residents.

“While we are strongly backing the proposals, we would like to see some changes.  There are a few roads, currently excluded from the proposals, which should become 20mph.  However, there important bus routes which we feel should remain at 30mph.  We believe that this balanced and pragmatic approach is the way forward.

“There has been a lot of misinformation about the proposals, including several full page adverts, often giving the impression that a blanket 20mph speed limit was being proposed across the city, when it wasn’t.  This was completely irresponsible and could skew the consultation results and undermine an important transport policy designed to help vulnerable people.  If the 20mph extensions are dropped as a result of this, this could be costly for the city and we’ll all be the poorer for it.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

[1]   The Council’s consultation on the 20mph speed limits ends on Friday 4 October.

[2]   BHFOE’s full response is available on request

[3]   Mill Road does not form part of the proposals but it lies immediately to the north of Dyke Road East neighbourhood area.  It forms a barrier between Green Ridge to the south and in the South Downs National Park and Waterhall and the wider Downs to the north.  There have been many dogs and badgers killed on this road and the current 60mph speed limit does not make it easy, pleasant or even safe to cross.  BHFOE believes that this current consultation offers an opportunity to reduce the speed limit on this road and improve access to the wider National Park.

Media Contact:  Chris Todd  01273 553044  or  07889 302229