Agenda item

11.1

The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, City Futures that informed Members about a proposed programme of part-time advisory 20mph speed limits outside schools using funding from the Road Safety Fund (RSF).

11.2

RESOLVED: That the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee:-

1)    welcomes the development of the programme, however it does not approve recommendations a) and b) as set out in the report.

(2 members voted in favour of approval of recommendations a) and b), 5 members voted against approval of recommendations a) and b) and 1 member abstained from the vote)

2)    the Committee therefore requests that officers (i) bring back a report to a future meeting with more background information on all schools in the city and other programmes of work impacting on school safety (e.g. 20mph area-wide zones, school streets etc) and (2) review the scoring mechanism, to enable the committee to make a more informed decision.

11.3

Reasons for Decision

11.3.1

Advisory 20mph speed limits outside schools are a low-cost method of reducing speeds at the start and end of the school day in the vicinity of the school. They act to slow drivers at the time of day when vulnerable young people are walking to or from school.

11.3.2

20mph advisory limits in these chosen locations is a cost effect way of achieving the following outcomes:

·       Reduction in traffic speeds

·       Improve road safety for all by reducing the number and severity of road traffic collisions

·       Safer school entrances

·       Promote a more pleasant local environment and encourage active journeys

·       Improve air quality

11.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

11.4.1

The alternative option is to do nothing and retain the existing speed limit. However, such a recommendation would run contrary to the delivery of the Sheffield 20mph Speed Limit Strategy. This would also mean that pedestrian safety at school times would not be improved, and this would be detrimental to the Council’s Active Travel ambition and vision of Safer streets in our City.

11.1

The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, City Futures that informed Members about a proposed programme of part-time advisory 20mph speed limits outside schools using funding from the Road Safety Fund (RSF).

It was advised that there was no national criteria of how part-time 20mph speed limits outside schools were put in place and Sheffield used an in-house formula as not all core cities had the schemes.  Members felt that prioritising the need of the schools instead of having a scheme in each LAC area would be preferred.  A suggestion was made about a change in policy to the speed limit on residential roads.  Officers advised that they would feed in the suggestion to the Road Safety Plan.

Members recognised the rationale, but if the council was looking at preventing loss of life or injury, then it would need to prioritise the need and check the weighing against the statistics.

11.2

RESOLVED: That the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee:-

1)    welcomes the development of the programme, however it does not approve recommendations a) and b) as set out in the report.

(2 members voted in favour of approval of recommendations a) and b), 5 members voted against approval of recommendations a) and b) and 1 member abstained from the vote)

2)    the Committee therefore requests that officers (1) bring back a report to a future meeting with more background information on all schools in the city and other programmes of work impacting on school safety (e.g. 20mph area-wide zones, school streets etc) and (2) review the scoring mechanism, to enable the committee to make a more informed decision.

11.3

Reasons for Decision

11.3.1

Advisory 20mph speed limits outside schools are a low-cost method of reducing speeds at the start and end of the school day in the vicinity of the school. They act to slow drivers at the time of day when vulnerable young people are walking to or from school.

11.3.2

20mph advisory limits in these chosen locations is a cost effect way of achieving the following outcomes:

·       Reduction in traffic speeds

·       Improve road safety for all by reducing the number and severity of road traffic collisions

·       Safer school entrances

·       Promote a more pleasant local environment and encourage active journeys

·       Improve air quality

11.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

11.4.1

The alternative option is to do nothing and retain the existing speed limit. However, such a recommendation would run contrary to the delivery of the Sheffield 20mph Speed Limit Strategy. This would also mean that pedestrian safety at school times would not be improved, and this would be detrimental to the Council’s Active Travel ambition and vision of Safer streets in our City.