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ITEM EX10

SPEED MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

Introduction

1. The Executive on 3 April 2002 approved the development of a speed management strategy including a hierarchy of roads, a key element to ensure a consistent approach to setting speed limits, for future consideration by both the Executive and the Environment Scrutiny Committee. The roads hierarchy will set a framework for all new speed limits, both to guide those requested within the imminent speed limit review and to help focus on the most effective limits promoted within works programmes. Annex 1 lists other elements that it is proposed will form the strategy. This report summarises progress regarding the development of the hierarchy as a basis for further consultation, seeks approval to develop the strategy and proposes a pilot programme of 20 and 50 mph speed limits with supporting measures for the 2003/04 Casualty Reduction Scheme Programme.

Community Safety Scrutiny Review Recommendations – Proposed Task Force

2. This report takes account of the recommendation of the Community Safety Scrutiny Committee review of the 30mph speed limits in South Oxfordshire (see preceding agenda item). This review will provide useful input to the development of the full draft speed management strategy. The recommendation proposes the establishment of a "task force" of members, engineers, road safety officers and the police to achieve a rural speed limit strategy. The proposed hierarchy outlined below was established in a similar manner to that envisaged by the Scrutiny Review and the continuation of working arrangements in the shape of the proposed task force to develop the strategy is supported. It would also be helpful if the task force carried out the review of selected 30 mph speed limits in South Oxfordshire to inform the developing strategy: before finalising the strategy it would be valuable to study the outcome of the proposed pilot schemes as experience of their effectiveness is currently limited.
3. The Scrutiny Review yields several points that merit inclusion within the Speed Management Strategy. It is thought that all of the other points raised by the Review should be considered by the task force. Lessons from the South Oxfordshire review will be included within the ongoing countywide speed limit review (to continue the opportunity for new and amended limits currently being provided by the village speed limit project) pending the Executive’s approval of the Speed Management Strategy.

Development of Road Hierarchy

4. The developing draft hierarchy for speed management takes account of the Transport Networks Review (TNR) currently being undertaken by the Council’s consultants Halcrow. There appears to be no serious risk of abortive work in progressing the speed management strategy prior to the reporting of the TNR expected in 2004.

50mph Limits

5. Annex 2 lists the routes identified, subject to consultation, for the possible introduction of 50mph speed limits (in place of the current national speed limit) in view of their alignment and accident rates. These proposals reflect the safety benefits of recent 50mph speed limits (see Annex 3) (download as .doc file) which suggest that substantial savings in casualties can be achieved through a combination of lower speed limits and supporting engineering and enforcement measures. A proposed pilot programme of around 14 limits, subject to community and police support, is also listed in Annex 2.

40mph Limits

6. There are no short-term proposals for the extensive use of 40 mph limits although they will be considered within the speed limit review in locations where 30 mph is deemed too low.

30mph Limits

7. It is proposed that built up areas will generally be subject to 30 mph limits: indeed this has already largely been achieved by the Village Speed Limits Project. Several new 30mph limits along roads with limited or no frontage development were placed within the South Oxfordshire phase of the village speed limit project to reflect the wishes of the local council. Paradoxically, although speed reductions have generally been modest, accident frequencies have reduced markedly at most of the sites with a significant accident history. Furthermore, there is no evidence (in terms of the accident record) that such limits have adversely affected road safety in built-up areas through drivers losing respect for previously existing 30mph restrictions.
8. On safety grounds there would appear to be little justification for reviewing these limits; however they are generating increasing complaints. The proposed countywide speed limit review should operate within the context of the strategy and to this end a review of South Oxfordshire "rural 30" limits over the next 6 months is recommended to ensure that a robust strategy is developed.

20mph Limits

9. There are increasing public calls for much wider use of 20mph speed limits in residential areas, outside schools and also in busy shopping streets with high pedestrian movements. At present, national and local policy for 20mph limits, given the difficulties of enforcement, requires supporting engineering measures, including traffic calming. In the short to medium term this is likely to continue to be the case, although there are circumstances – such as roads with access restrictions – where the need for traffic calming or other measures may be much reduced.
10. Experience to date of 20mph limits in the County has been limited, and while they have provided valuable experience, it is recommended that further pilot schemes be used to evaluate effectiveness and develop approaches that are both affordable and provide acceptable levels of access for emergency services and bus operators.
11. The following areas have been identified as possible pilot areas for implementing 20mph speed limits subject to consultations:
    
    

1. Thame – Thame Town Council has expressed a strong interest in the introduction of an extensive 20mph speed limit in the town (this would also help support the well developed Better Ways to School programme and proposed cycle network). In the first phase the limit is likely to include the town centre and the residential roads, but to exclude the main roads leading into the town from the bypass and perimeter roads. It is unlikely that additional extensive engineering measures would be needed to support the limit.
2. Oxford – following the introduction of the central area measures in June 1999, traffic flows have decreased substantially. To build upon the environmental benefits, and to help address the still significant numbers of traffic accidents in High Street, St Aldates and George Street in particular it is recommended that a 20mph zone is established in the central area (to include High Street, St Aldates, New Road, Worcester Street, George Street, Cornmarket Street, Queen Street, Broad Street and the minor roads within this area). Access and environmental considerations would require that any supporting measures be kept to an absolute minimum.
   
   

Environment Scrutiny Committee Views

12. A draft of this report has been considered by the Environment Scrutiny Committee. The Committee agreed to:

1. endorse the Speed Management Strategy and welcome the establishment of a working group to deal with the Strategy;
2. ask the Executive to positively consider membership from the Environment and Community Safety Scrutiny committees on the Working Group.

Timetable

13. Many elements of the strategy can start to be developed. The full draft strategy must await the outcome of the proposed 20 and 50 mph limits and South Oxfordshire 30 mph limit pilot programmes as well as the establishment of the Task Force proposed by the Community Safety Scrutiny Review. This would provide the mechanism for developing the Strategy with a view to undertaking initial consultation during 2003, prior to submitting a full draft to the Scrutiny Committees and the Executive for approval in 2004, once the initial impact of the pilot schemes had been assessed.

Environmental Implications

14. The proposed works would require the provision of additional signs, and supporting measures.

Financial and Staff Implications

15. The implementation of the speed hierarchy will be carried out jointly by Babtie and officers of the County Council and can be funded from the proposed allocation of £350,000 from the 2003/04 Casualty Reduction scheme programme.

RECOMMENDATIONS

16. The Executive is RECOMMENDED to:

1. welcome the submissions of the Community Safety and Environment Scrutiny Committees;
2. endorse the inclusion in the remit of the Task Force (recommended in the Community Safety Scrutiny Review) of responsibility for overseeing the development of the Speed Management Strategy and a review of selected speed limits in South Oxfordshire;
3. approve the promotion of 50mph speed limit orders on the lengths of road in Annex 2 to the report for inclusion in the pilot programme for 2003/04 with appropriate supporting engineering measures, subject to funding being included in the 2003/04 capital programme and to any representation or objections being considered by the Transport Implementation Committee;
4. approve the promotion of 20mph speed limit zones on the lengths of road in Thame and Oxford shown on Plans 1 and 2 with appropriate supporting engineering measures, subject to funding being included in the 2003/04 capital programme and any representation or objections being considered by the Transport Implementation Committee.

EDDIE LUCK
Assistant Director (Transport Development)

Background papers: Nil

Contact Officer: Geoff Barrell Tel: Oxford 810450

March 2003

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