I attended the Transport and Environment Select Committee of Hampshire County Council this morning, where the outcomes of the Task and Finish Group into the introduction of 20mph zones in Hampshire were discussed.
There are a number of recommendations in the report, which suggest various criteria for consideration if we are introduce 20mph zones more widely.
There were deputations from supporters of the introduction of 20mph zones, some of whom felt the recommendations of the Task and Finish Group did not go far enough, some of whom welcomed the outcome but asked for a wider, and speedier, roll out than the report envisaged.
Ultimately, the decision will be one for Hampshire's Cabinet, although it is my responsibility to steer the creation of the new policy. I therefore provided the committee with this response to their report:
"I’d like to express my enormous thanks to the Task and Finish Group and the officers who have supported them through what has been a comprehensive and extremely thorough process.
It is clear to me that we must find a way by which the aspirations of communities hoping for the introduction of 20mph zones can be properly considered. As the Task and Finish Group have pointed out (as have Winchester City Council in their submission post their motion supporting 20mph zones last week), ensuring there is wide community support for the introduction of zones is essential. The ability to enforce them effectively, and the cost of their introduction, are also factors which we shall need to take into account.
I very much welcome the suggestion that 20mph zones should be introduced as standard in new developments and that a more flexible approach should be taken to Speed Indicator Device installation.
We must never forget that as the Highway Authority, Hampshire County Council has an over-riding responsibility to our residents when ensuring road safety. This must be paramount in the consideration of any revision of existing policy. I am also determined that we ensure any revised policy is transparent, fair and accessible for communities, and of course deliverable by the County Council.
I will now ask our officer team to begin investigating how we can deliver on the recommendations of the Task and Finish Group and the aspirations of our communities. There is much we can learn from policies introduced in other areas and we will be looking to those authorities for suggestions as to how we ensure delivery of an effective, accessible and workable policy.
I hope that we can bring a proposal for a new policy to this Scrutiny Committee and on to Cabinet in June or July of this year."