Just by painting a few roundels on the road, the government that promised to 'end the war on the motorist' has announced measures that allow 20mph limits to be introduced at whim by local authorities.
Association of British Drivers (ABD) spokesman Nigel Humphries elaborates: "Previously, before installing a 20mph limit councils had to show that the speed of traffic would naturally be under 20mph or introduce other measures such as traffic calming to achieve this. Norman Baker's announcement sweeps all this away. Councils will now be allowed to introduce limits anywhere just by painting roundels on the road and putting up signs at entry points. It appears there will be:
No requirement to prove that a limit is needed for safety reasons.
No assessment of risk or accident record.
No assessment of the impact upon the travelling public."
"We warned some while back that the localism policy will be bad news for road safety and this is the first example. Scientific methodology in speed limit setting is being swept away so local politicians can make decisions that they believe will win them votes. This is precisely what we have campaigned against for years,” said ABD Chairman Brian Gregory.
“We have no objection to 20mph limits in appropriate areas but their random use will further undermine respect for all limits. Enlightened councils have installed flashing lights and timed 20mph limits outside schools. There will now be no incentive for these with the cheap option of a 24-hour limit enforced by a bit of paint and a couple of signs."