Saturday 17 November 2012

Three Cheers for Chichester!



Congratulations to Chichester on achieving 20mph speed limits on all residential roads. What a campaign that must have been! A Public Consultation with 4,000 votes in favour of speed limits is impressive, as is managing to persuade every councillor on the South Chichester County Local Committee to vote in favour.

It’s hard to imagine that happening in Kent with its culture of car worship. Although it would be great if we could get 20mph limits in some of our towns. We are the most obese and most car dependant country in Europe. We desperately need safer roads so that people are encouraged to ditch the car and cycle or walk.

Top of my personal wish list for 20mph would be Tonbridge. Even introducing a lower speed limit would improve the experience of Tonbridge High Street and make it less noisy and polluted. People might even start to feel safe crossing the road.

I can just hear the howls of the ‘I want to drive fast and I don’t care about anyone’ else lobby.

Of course, long term the only possible answer for Tonbridge High Street is pedestrianisation – but try getting the local dinosaurs to accept that.

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