Sheffield Streets are set to become safer with 20 mile-per-hour (mph) speed limits rolled out to large parts of the city.
Recently it was announced that Hillsborough will have reduced speeding zones, and now Burncross and High Green have also been identified – due to additional funding Labour councillors are making into road safety measures.
Over recent years Sheffield City Council has been making many residential areas 20 mph zones as part of Labour councillors’ Road Safety strategy.
Councillor Adam Hurst commented on the proposals for Burncross and High Green, both of which are in West Ecclesfield ward:
“It’s fantastic news that we’re able to speed up plans to make residential areas in West Ecclesfield 20 miles per hour zones. Residents have been asking for these changes and with my Labour colleagues we’ve worked on securing additional funds to make this possible.
“The benefits of 20 mph zones cannot be understated – they make streets safer and more pleasant places for people to live, especially for children and more elderly residents, and massively reduce the likelihood of serious accidents.
“Each zone will be subject to feasibility work this summer to help determine the size, location and delivery timescales. All of the proposals will be consulted publicly, with feedback directly affecting what is finally delivered”.
On the new 20 mph zones Councillor Julie Grocutt, Labour’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Development, stated:
“Reducing speeds in residential areas makes more pleasant places for people to live – especially for children and elderly residents – and encourages more people to cycle and walk. Labour councillors want to see 20 mile per hour zones throughout residential areas in the city as this is want residents are asking for.
“The council used to have a lot more funding to enact road safety measures, but since the Conservative-Lib Dem Coalition government formed in 2010, Sheffield’s overall budget has been slashed by £475 million – this is a huge 50% of its budget. As such services have been badly affected, including much less funding for road safety interventions. But last year Labour councillors created a new fund to help make the city’s roads safer.
“Previously the Council typically brought forward three schemes a year. But now – with our new Road Safety Fund – we aim to triple that. And this Summer we will begin work to make High Green and Burncross residential areas 20 mile per hour zones.
Sheffield City Council’s determination to make the city’s areas 20 mph has gained national praise, with the country-wide organisation ‘20s Plenty for Us’ supporting this work.
Anna Semlyen, National Campaign Manager for 20’s Plenty for Us:
“Sheffield is progressing its commitment to a gradual roll out of 20mph limits first promised in 2012. We welcome all 20mph wide area default limit schemes. They make these places better places to be – safer, healthier, cleaner and with half the noise. Drivers are asked to obey the limits as a 20mph impact is like a first-floor window fall, whilst 30mph is a third-floor impact”.