Islington sets a borough wide 20mph speed limit

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Permalink Reply by WightmanPaul on March 13, 2009 at 16:17

There was an article in the Evening Standard [22/1/08] which included:

'Portsmouth already has 20mph limits in residential areas. Islington almost became the first London area with a borough-wide 20mph limit but the move was defeated by one vote.

Haringey could be the first London borough with a blanket 20mph limit.

It has a number of existing 20mph zones in Tottenham, Seven Sisters, Muswell Hill and Hornsey, and is consulting on new schemes in Wood Green, central Crouch End and Stroud Green, as well as extensions to the Muswell Hill scheme.'

It seems that Islington have followed through. I seem to recall that Islington had a much more inclusive consultation on the issue of increasing the residents' parking permit tax which masqueraded as a 'Green' issue and to which we are subject. Isn't there a hint of irony that, whilst other authorities are looking Borough wide we are having to fight tooth and nail with our Council to include a single narrow street in an already constituted 20 mph zone. Apparently the Green agenda extends to raising tax, and traffic calming is to be bestowed upon the favoured constituents, but any sense that our Cabinet members are working in the interests of the entire community is lost in what has become the familiar sea of suspicion resulting from inadequate consultation and decision making based on issues like which councillor lives in which street.

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Permalink Reply by Anthony on March 13, 2009 at 22:37

Is there any information about the route to this decision and if there were any movers and shakers in Islington who could let us know the benefit of their experience (Hugh/Liz - if you see this, do you have any e-contacts to equivalents in Islington?)

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Permalink Reply by Joe on March 14, 2009 at 13:31

I may know someone.

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Permalink Reply by Nigel Lupton (luptonn) on March 14, 2009 at 13:05

I think a 20mph limit in urban areas is a really good idea.

I do worry about how enforceable this would be; it seems that the 30mph limit on Green Lanes and Seven Sisters are ignored when they are not clogged with traffic (oh, and Endymion when people are trying to make the lights on to Green Lanes). From my very unscientific research other road safety laws such as obeying traffic lights and not using a mobile phone are treated as optional and don't seem to be enforced.

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Permalink Reply by matt on March 20, 2009 at 12:59

Today I noticed campaign posters in some house windows along Hornsey Park Rd asking for a '20mph zone'.

Also, regards conversation recently (off-line) about the data box on Wightman Rd, there are two more on Hornsey Park Rd.

............................................................................

Just spoken to Tony Kennedy at Highways;

1. The data from the box on Wightman Rd is for assessing 85th percentile regards 20mph zone.

2. Proposals for spending the £100,000 thus far include some 'build outs', 'anti skid' areas and possible improvements with the pesdestrian traffic islands. All these ideas are to go out for consultation but the aim is to spend the money for 2009/10 financial year.

3. Mr Kennedy isn't against a 20mph zone but he does need the data to support this and support from the police (which he sees no real reason for them objecting). Police data over the last 3-4 years for Personal Injury Accidents would also form part of the data analysed.

4. All data collected from all data boxes is keep by Highways (traffic survey?)

Separately, the two data boxes on Hornsey Park Rd are being collected to assess impact of new road opened as a part of the Harringay Heartlands development, called Mary Neumer Way (past Mayor of Haringey). This road runs from new lights on Hornsey Park Rd (just after Turnpike Lane junction) around to Station Rd.

Tony will be at the Traffic meeting on Monday 23rd March to give an update to residents.

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