Safe Speed Forums

http://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/news.php?id=655819Residents divided over speed limit plans

A ROW over plans to raise the speed limit on the main road through Peppard shows no sign of ending.
At a meeting of the parish council on Monday last week, residents could not agree whether to make the limit on that section of the B481 40mph instead of 30mph.

Council chairman Nick Launders, who is against the proposal made by Oxfordshire County Council, said he had received letters from concerned residents. He said: “We have a school there and children play on the field. The entrances and exits to the main road are very tricky — there are hills and vegetation.”

Mr Launders said he was “shocked” by the police’s lack of enforcement of the limit, adding: “They do it in Greys but not across the common. I can just see the headlines now when they raise the limit to 40mph and then a child is killed.”

Elaine Russell-Wilks, of Stoke Row Road, agreed that the 30mph limit should remain.
She said: “Just because motorists choose to ignore the limit, I don’t believe it should be changed. People should not ignore what is a safe speed.” Ann Pearce, of Stevens Lane, said: “If someone is hit by a car at 40mph then they are a goner. As it is near the school, there is a possibility of a child running out.”
Her husband Graham added: “Self-policing is fallacious. Motorists tend to go within 10mph over the speed limit. The limit is a guide. If people don’t know the area they won’t know there is a school there.”
However, Councillor Tony Cotton said: “I would prefer the limit to be 40mph and see it being policed because at the moment drivers are doing 40mph to 50mph.
“Speeding is an offence which is really self-policed. Motorists are more likely to abide by speed limits when they appear reasonable.”
Councillor Geoff Pitcher said: “We should go along with the county council as it will improve the situation, not exacerbate it.
“At the moment, people are forced to go fast because drivers are pushing from behind, which is dangerous. It is horrible when driving at 30mph and people stick two fingers up at you. The situation at the moment doesn’t work.”

Terje Johansen, of Colmore Lane, said: “I was driving along the common at 33mph and I found that I had an extra passenger in the back seat. It is in the nature of human beings that if something appears reasonable they tend to abide by it. If it is set artificially low, then we will have a lot of problems.”
A spokesman for the county council said the Department for Transport had asked councils to review speed limits on A and B roads and apply guidelines that take account of factors such as the nature and density of roadside development and accident records.
He said: “There are a small number of locations where existing 30mph speed limits appear not to be consistent with these guidelines and in these cases we are consulting on whether an upward revision may be appropriate.”
Meanwhile, the parish council has failed in a bid to get the red telephone box in Church Lane recognised as a listed building.
The Secretary of State refused the application because of its “poor condition”.
Vice-chairman Nigel Wooding suggested repairing the box. He said: “It does look in a sorry state. It would be interesting if we could get it renovated.

“At the moment, the paint is coming off and it looks miserable. BT has said that it doesn’t want to take it away and we don’t want to lose it.”

What do you think? Write to: Letters, Henley Standard, Caxton House, 1 Station Road, Henley, RG9 1AD or email letters@henleystandard.co.uk