Speed limit reduction vote in Stroud Valleys villages

“I love the comment that 'speeding is an issue' but I can tell you that when police officers try to enforce the limits they are often met with abuse and the phrase, "Why don't you go and catch some real criminals?"
Speeding is an issue in every single parish I ever policed for the simple reason that everyone wants people to drive past their front door at a snails pace but they themselves want to continue driving around through other villages at 40, 50 or 60 mph. It's the 'not in my back yard' mentality.
If she could support this request with some evidence that travelling at speeds over 20 mph had caused serious collisions she would have my support but the very fact that she has not produced this as evidence means that it is almost certainly not the case. I think the last line says it all really, apart from the reference to 'safer' road - It is hoped the 20mph limit would discourage that through traffic, reduce vehicle speeds and noise, improve safety for walkers and cyclists and, most of all, improve the quality of life for residents. This is nothing to do with safety at all this is all about ending this route's historic role as a secondary road in to Stroud. Doesn't this lady realise that every parish would have a 20 mph limit if given the choice? At this rate we will end up with only one road where you can travel faster than 20 mph and that would be the M5!
Lastly, why should the County Council (i.e. the rest of us) have to part fund this and who on earth is going to enforce it? If this does change then the council will have manufactured their own speeding problem with cars travelling above the limit where before they would have been none.
I don't mind parish councils having a say in what happens within their own community but things such as this should have to be backed up with proper evidence and if road safety is a claim then they should have to prove it with facts and not just whimsical opinions and wishes.
If they want a 20 mph then I want one outside my house too!”

“Oh!Oh! things don't look good.”

“Help nurse! I find myself in agreement with 2Ladybugs for once! In my book "Rat Run" users, rather than adding to the congestion on busy roads, are thinking people with the good sense to save time, fuel, and temper by avoiding "recommended" routes.”

“Can somebody tell me how many people have been killed in Whiteshill and Ruscombe because of the 30mph speed limit? I doubt that changing the speed limit to 20mph will stop people using it as a "rat run". Motorists pay enough through taxes to be able to use ALL roads not just a selected few. Who has to pay for all the speed humps/traffic calming measures.”

“re 'It is hoped the 20mph limit would discourage that through traffic, reduce vehicle speeds and noise, improve safety for walkers and cyclists and, most of all, improve the quality of life for residents.'
As usual it's only a hope.

If they put in traffic calming measures the noise is likely to annoy local residents
If they discourage through traffic ( and what proportion really is going through just for the sake of it) its going to go somewhere else. Have they asked villagers living on the alternative route if theyre happy with that?
There's nothing to say it improves safety and a lot to say it will make it worse. Nor does it say it will actually improve the quality of life for local residents or for those wanting to use the road as a road. Most people move to a place near a road because it allows them to go somewhere else.
If traffic speeds are already low all the villagers will have won will be a plethora of 20 signs. How will that look?
The question is - have the people being balloted been given the full picture or that misguided paragraph?”

“@TimMessanger

'It is hoped the 20mph limit would discourage that through traffic, reduce vehicle speeds and noise, improve safety for walkers and cyclists and, most of all, improve the quality of life for residents.'

Are you against this then?”

“Its not clear what this is going to do for local residents. Reports show that when 20mph limits are introduced where accident rates are already low, accidents increase. Pedestrians tend to be more willing to step out into traffic. Advertising tells us it's safe to be run over at 20mph - when of course it isnt. Anyone found a ballot paper onlineto see what residents were 'informed'' ? Do local motorists get a separate vote on their safety?”

“Yes Tim, they did that in Stonehouse, a lovely 20mph limit and more speed humps than you can shake a stick at. Still every bit as busy as it ever was, just a bit slower. Which means its no more easier to cross the road than it was before, in fact worse really, because the traffic is slower at peak times, its more congested due to the flow being slowed down to a crawl.”

“They will love the traffic calming required for the introduction of a 20mph speed limit by law. If they don't introduce traffic calming for the introduction of the 20mph limit above that allready there the speed-limit will be void!”

“SPEED KILLS!”