Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dave Corcoran on May 19, 2013 at 8:15

No car should exceed 4mph, and they should all have someone walking in front of them with a red flag

To give a serious reply - a selective 20mph speed limit? For example on narrower residential streets, - yes, that would make sense.

A blanket limit, however, seems absurd

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Permalink Reply by Susan Cole on May 19, 2013 at 15:48

http://www.crashmap.co.uk/Search

This map shows number of accidents in each location.  I would say that a lot of them would be prevented if they were driving more slowly.  

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Permalink Reply by Dave Corcoran on May 20, 2013 at 16:56

I would say that a lot of them would be prevented if they were driving more slowly.  

or stopped completely  :)

We need the current limits enforced, (and it would be nice if the no-left turn at Bounds Green tube into brownlow road was enforced too)

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Permalink Reply by Pat Casey on May 20, 2013 at 16:40

good for outside schools and busy areas but not main routes where there is no need for it

it bugs me is that these limits are 24 hours, whats the point? Islington cant make up their mind, one section of road is 20, then its 30 then 20 again, bad drivers make bad roads, if the speed limit between Wood green and Palmers was 20, it would take forever to get anywhere which is bad for congestion

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Permalink Reply by Susan Cole on May 20, 2013 at 19:29

If you look at the crash map above it seems that most accidents happen on the main roads.  You'd have to try very hard to crash at 20mph but at 30mph (often over that) it's harder for some "less experienced" drivers to react quickly enough to prevent it.

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Permalink Reply by Richard McKeever on May 24, 2013 at 18:58

Following LB Haringey's proposal for a blanket 20mph speed limit across the borough - news this week that Enfield Council have introduced proposals for a limited 20mph zone in the streets close to Palmers Green School.

This is in part in response to a residents' petition last summer.

It is an approach that chimes-in with some of the comments in this discussion that selective speed control zones in particular limited areas might be preferable  to a whole borough restriction.

Consultation on the Palmers Green plans is open until June 14th - you can respond to a questionnaire on the LB Enfield website.

• Many thanks to Palmers Green Community website for alerting us to this information

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Permalink Reply by Mandy Norman on May 24, 2013 at 21:15

In theory, I agree with the 20mph speed limit, but as many have said – on the smaller roads only. 30mph is the current speed limit on the main Bounds Green Road, but do wonder how well it is enforced now, apart from the few areas with speed cameras and personally, I don't want those everywhere.

If you look at the crash map, most of the accidents happen around junctions and crossings, so wondering if the council should look at designing some of these junctions better? Turning right on the Bounds Green Road is a nightmare. And if they're going to spend all that money painting 20 on the streets, I would personally prefer to see that money spent res-surfacing the roads, which are the biggest danger for me at the moment as both a motorist and a cyclist. They are atrocious, particularly at the junction of Bounds Green Station. 

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Permalink Reply by Susan Cole on May 25, 2013 at 11:41

I agree that the design of the roads is confusing and likely to cause accidents, they have repainted and redesigned the road countless times but the wide lanes along Bounds Green Road probably contribute to a lot of the accidents as drivers will speed up where the lanes are wide, try to overtake etc. 

I would like to see them reduce the traffic speed on the dangerous main roads, where there are more pedestrians.  

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Permalink Reply by Pat Casey on May 25, 2013 at 14:19

I think the lights at the junction of green lanes to the 406 need a filtering system, that would mean road widening which would make it hell for months, if only there was a simple solution! Most of the roads on the map are already 20 and have humps. If it does happen, let's not let the council waste money like islington council by putting proud banners on every lamppost declaring this is a 20mph borough!

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Permalink Reply by Suellen edgar on May 25, 2013 at 15:14

Providing they increase the age old 12 point and your disqualified limits, to take into account the influx in speed cameras, then great, all for it. Seems to me however, that the only real reason they want to reduce speed limits again is to catch more drivers out and fine them!

Speed point limit has not increased since the introduction of speed cameras.

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Permalink Reply by Pat Casey on May 28, 2013 at 17:05

yep, seems the council need to claw back some funding so catching out drivers in 20mph zones would be the easiest option! its not about safety for "the kids" its to make as much revenue as possible, especially now clamping is illegal 

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Permalink Reply by Susan Cole on May 31, 2013 at 15:12

I think it also has something to do with recent research where they discovered that the human skull evolved with the capability of surviving intact after impact at around 20mph.  Fatalities would be significantly reduced.   A child's whole body physiology is also much more vulnerable over 20mph - this would affect child passengers as well as pedestrians.

Here is a very long and slightly boring report with plenty of data:

http://www.20splentyforus.org.uk/usefulreports/20-mph-zones-and-roa...

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