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Islington welcomes careful drivers with blanket 20mph zone
Mark Blunden and Rashid Razaq18 Mar 2009
A SPEED limit of 20mph is set to be introduced across an entire borough for the first time.
All residential roads in Islington will be subject to the driving restriction by the end of the year in a move aimed at cutting the number of fatalities and accidents.
The initiative is likely to be introduced across other boroughs as safety campaigners call for a London-wide scheme.
But motoring organisations immediately criticised the scheme for unfairly penalising drivers and raised concerns over how it will be enforced.
Green Party Islington councillor, Katie Dawson, has been granted £1million to implement the 20mph zone on all council-controlled residential roads, mainly through signs, although speed bumps and CCTV cameras may later be used.
About half of Islington's 1,420 residential roads, covering 174 miles, are already 20mph.
The ban will not affect Transport for London-run arterial roads, including the A1, Camden Road and Seven Sisters Road, or major council-run routes such as Essex Road, which will remain 30mph.
But questions were raised over how the speed limit could be enforced without more police resources.
Adrian Tink, motoring strategist for the RAC, said: "People don't want speed cameras but, without more police on the roads, you have to question how effective it will be.
"Drivers accept restrictions in sensitive areas outside schools and hospitals but a blanket ban causes a lot of frustration as without cameras you're looking at speed bumps and chicanes, which are almost equally unliked."
Most drivers are unlikely to be prosecuted if they are found at 30mph in a 20mph zone but supporters believe the limits reduce accidents and ensure lower emissions because vehicles will stop and start less.
Islington's statistics show seven people were killed and 105 seriously hurt on its roads in 2007, which fell in the first 10 months of last year as more 20mph zones were introduced.
Councillor Dawson said: "Statistics show if you hit someone at 30mph they probably die but 10mph less and they will almost certainly live."
Reader views (31)
Its not only local roads that need a restriction in speed, which would actually mean that traffic would move faster, besides helping the environment. The North Circular Road is a nightmare with high powered cars cutting in and out. DAILY IT IS CLOSED BECAUSE OF ACCIDENTS. SPEED ON THIS THE 406, AND ON THE A12 AND 113 SHOULD BE CUT TO THIRTY MILES AN HOUR. I have even seen maniacs driving at high sped on these roads during heavy rain and icy conditions. Usually with a phone clapped to the drivers ears. AT night motor cyclists use some roads as a race track
- Alan Green, Woodford Green, 19/03/2009 10:34
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Clive Allen - the roads were not designed for 30mph. 30mph is the speed limit imposed by the rules of the road, nothing to do with the road design. Therefore the speed limit can be altered accordingly.
I welcome a reduction in the speed limit. But can we also see another new law in place to prevent clueless women in 4x4s taking to the road with mobile phones? I watched one turn out of a junction and run into the back of a bus today. Clever, she thought, chatting on the phone while making sure there was no traffic coming. Pity she didn't see the stationary traffic she was turning in to.
- Jock, London, 19/03/2009 03:37
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Why is Islington council just adding cosmetic foundation to a serious environment issuse.They intend on introducing 20 mile speed limit but know one is seriously expected to travel at 20 miles per hour speed limit.If they were, then it would increase co2 emission and bring roads to a stand still..
I'm wondering if it the very same person that came up with that caper of taking cigarettes from above the counter and placing them below the counter is going to stop people smoking. It's scary to know that people like these are out their running our councils and government...
- Michael, London, 19/03/2009 00:07
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Why 20 MPH, surely the 10 MPH or 5 MPH are much better for chances of surviving accidents? 0 MPH sounds a perfect solution surely?
- David, Teddington, 18/03/2009 23:36
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Islington council has by far the worst road network in London. Its roads are a disgrace. Unfortunately i have to use them for work. The only consolation now with this new 20mph speed limit is knowing that the Green Mean Party will be responsible for Islington having the highest Asthma attacks and other related diseases in the capital with the extra pollution on its streets.
- Mr S.Port, London, 18/03/2009 22:52
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"But questions were raised over how the speed limit could be enforced without more police resources."
More police resources will not be forthcoming, and are not necessary as an arbitary 20mph speed limit introduced by a local authroity in not legally enforceable. They (the authority) may try, it should be challenged, but either way the police don't care.
- Escobar A-Lop-Lop, Camden County, 18/03/2009 22:08
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I have been told that the average traffic speed in London is something like 12mph. So what does a 20mph limit matter?
- J Bell, Nottm, UK, 18/03/2009 21:20
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The 20 mph national speed limit was abandoned in 1930 as out-dated! Now we have thousands of miles of roads restricted in the last ten years! Much emotive language has been used on this site about killing children etc, but we still have the 30 mph limit imposed and of course the other major point is that 20 mph is for 24/7 X 365 days a year. Are these 'concerned' parents letting their little children out at say 2.30 am? But the cameras that will be monitoring the system will be clicking away. Speed is not the main cause of accidents, but it is the easist to tax!
- Terry Hudson, Herne Bay, Kent, 18/03/2009 21:14
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I think the whole of London should be under a 20 mph limit.
And when they have finally put up all the new signs around the whole city, they could then consider putting up 10 mph zones across London. It would be a welcome and clever ploy to get people to walk or go by London Transport.
- Mr Organos Grinder, Kensington, London, 18/03/2009 19:38
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No. Leave the 30 mph limit alone. We really don`t need another series of revenue stealing enforcements on behalf of Islington council.
The roads were designed for 30 MPH, and London traffic is appalling slow.
- Clive Allen, Brighton, UK, 18/03/2009 19:19
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The borough of SUTTON most urgently needs a 20 limit - packed with magnet schools which select from far & wIde, causing vast traffic. 20 MPH NOW!!!!
- Liz, London,UK, 18/03/2009 19:01
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YES! This is absolutely what is needed, London - wide. I am sick to death of fretting whether my 13 year old will make it across the road unscathed, and will soon be living in terror lest my 11 year old be mown down on his way to school.
It is high time we stopped allowing drivers to arrogate to themselves the right to drive as fast as they like through built up areas. The UK has the highest rate of child road casualties in Europe.
Of course the motoring lobby will say it interferes with freedom - well, feel free to come and scrape up the remains of the next kid to be slaughtered on my road.
- Liz, London,UK, 18/03/2009 18:49
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If these limits are enforced with chicanes or, worse, speed bumps, pollution levels on Islington's residential street will go up massively, as cars are never more polluting or inefficient than in the low speed stop-go urban cycle, when they are constantly decelerating and accelerating. A splendid own goal by the Greens!
Also, bear in mind that the definition of 'residential streets' for the purpose of Islington's splendid new policy is all streets which are not TfL-controlled routes, and that means lots of streets we think of as 'road' will be included, with interesting consequences for traffic flows.
- Henry, London, 18/03/2009 17:06
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It's already been introduced (over the past 6 months or so) on certain roads in Lewisham and as far as I can tell is completely ignored by most motorists. As a cyclist I travel at around 20mph and below and motorists still pass me at high speed.
- Mcw, London, 18/03/2009 15:52
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Alanj, you're missing the point... our green friends couldn't care less about road safety or Co2 levels at 20mph. What they want is for you to abandon your car altogether, they'll only be happy when you've sold it and bought a bus pass.
- Jonnie, London, 18/03/2009 15:37
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It'll never work until pedestrians learn to slow down to 5mph.
- Dhanraj, basildon, 18/03/2009 14:13
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Perhaps if Islington spent as much time and money repairing the appalling roads in the borough and removing the humps this wouldn't be necessary. Speed humps affect all traffic - buses included. Excessive or inappropriate speed is only a factor in 5% of all accidents.
- Adam, Harrow, UK, 18/03/2009 13:55
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Another reason not to go to Islington.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland, 18/03/2009 13:14
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So, I am riding my motorbike in Islington and I have to watch the road surface for illegal speed-bumps (as shown on a BBC programme recently) and watch the speedo to make sure I don’t stray over 20mph? Doesn’t leave much time for watching out for kids running into the road, does it? We all accept that when a child is hit at 20mph he’s more likely to survive than when hit at 30mph, but where are the surveys which show the frequency of accidents falling when 20mph limits are introduced – I’d bet my house on there being an increase in accidents because of this. Which is why I shall be ignoring the 20mph limit.
- Disgruntledislingtonian, London, 18/03/2009 12:40
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This scheme is stupid. Most of the time is impossible to go over 5mph in any part of Islington anyway due to the constant road works everywhere, plus the streets are clogged up with empty bendy buses!
ALSO its MUCH less green to drive at 20mph as it uses a lot more fuel and increases CO2 levels so that argument CANNOT be used here, its silly to increase the pollution in one of Londons least green boroughs!
SCHEME FAIL
- Alanj, London, 18/03/2009 12:40
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The worst aspect of driving in Islington is the thousands of speed humps which damage vehicles' suspension and bumpers.
- Neil M., london uk,, 18/03/2009 12:28
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20 mph all very well but then why are they adding yet more speed bumps on my road in Highbury. They are constantly digging up the roads. It's insane. My vote is to remove the speed bumps as they only serve to be used as speed ramps by pizza delivery bikes, as I've witnessed many times in the evening.
- Mya, Highubry, 18/03/2009 12:24
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It's funny that if 30mph is so dangerous, the council are allowing it on main roads, I suspect that the real reason is that a 20mph limit would slow down the buses.
However, the truth is that you can be safe at 30mph and dangerous at 20mph - driving is about observation and anticipation, and cannot be boiled down to mere speed.
If enforced by speed humps, it will not be good for ambulances and I predict that residents will complain about road noise.
£1 million is a lot to spend on what seems primarily an anti-motorist measure. Islingtonians could have proper road safety education for a lot less and maybe police patrols near schools that would give other benefits.
- Brian, London, 18/03/2009 12:16
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The main effect of this in the sort term is that a driver doing 35mph is more likely to be stopped by the police. Hopefully in the long term, a cheap CCTV cameras enforcement system will be designed and we can see the end of speed bumps.
The research has shown that when you have a 20mph limit, you need a lot less traffic lights and crossing etc, drivers also tend to let each other out more often. So a 20mph limit can improve the flow of the traffic in a lot of cases.
- Ian Ringrose, Birmingham, 18/03/2009 11:59
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I totally agree with JL - pedestrians need to learn how to cross the road properly and take some responsibility for once
- Archway Lurcher, London, 18/03/2009 11:50
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It's not targeting motorists, it's targeting law-breakers. There is a difference. I look forward to LB of Richmond following suit.
- Martin H. Watson, Teddington, 18/03/2009 11:50
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That's it target the motorist again.
Will someone please run a campaign to educate pedestrians.
They do not have an automatic right to step out without looking. They should take more care of themselves and not expect everyone else to do it for them. Yes put your mobiles down and stop texting and talking for the 10 seconds it takes to cross a road and concentrate on what you are doing. Turn the ipods down so you can hear traffic. And LOOK around you - no doubt there will be a crossing within a few yards of where you want to cross if you could be bothered to use it.
- Jl, London, 18/03/2009 11:02
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Wonder how much they will rake in by fines on drivers doing 25mph? Once again its motorists who are paying the penalty
- Mike, London England, 18/03/2009 10:51
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id love the estate i live on to be 20 mph it should not be possible for a vehicle to exceed 20 mph on residential streets
- C May, biggin hill, 18/03/2009 10:26
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Very few people abide by the 20 mph restrictions that exist on some Islington roads now - and these restrictions won't stop the idiot drivers who drive over 30 mphs on the other residential roads
- Andy, london, 18/03/2009 10:13
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that'll be an actual increase on the average speed travelled then for most vehicles over the speed bumps that occur every ten yards.
- Squiz, Islington, 18/03/2009 09:36
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