Shropshire-wide 20mph campaign group to hold public meeting in Shrewsbury
A Shropshire-wide campaign group on 20mph speed limits is set to hold a public meeting in Shrewsbury later this month.
At a 20mph conference in Shrewsbury in September over 50 delegates including Shropshire Council councillors, parish and town councillors and local campaigners heard the case for general wide-area 20mph speed limits.
In four detailed presentations from national experts, those attending the conference were able to listen to robust evidence for adopting 20mph as the default speed limit on the majority of Shropshire’s roads.
The conference agreed to make a formal request to Shropshire Council to adopt the wide-area 20mph policy currently in place in over 50 council areas in Britain and to commence implementation in the financial year 2018-19. The request was sent to the leader of the council and all cabinet members on Monday 2nd October. A reply has not yet been received.
The public meeting will be an opportunity for all those attending to discuss next steps.
During a door to door survey in Ludlow around 80 per cent of those questioned agreed to a 20mph limit. Shrewsbury Town Council has also agreed to support a 20mph limit.
Commenting on the objectives of the public meeting, one of the organisers, Professor John Whitelegg, who lives in Church Stretton, said:
“There is no doubt at all that 20mph on residential streets significantly improves road safety. At the moment Shropshire Council is content for the risk of death and serious injury to be very high and it will not follow a well-trodden path taken by many other councils to reduce that risk. The evidence supports wide-area 20mph, the people want 20mph, the World Health Organisation recommends 20mph and Shropshire Council says “no”. This is irresponsible and unacceptable."
The public meeting will take place at the Shrewsbury United Reform Church, Coleham Head, Shrewsbury on Saturday 25th November, 3pm-5pm.
