Is Plenty Where People Live.

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A Highland village is believed to be the first community in Scotland to have a 20mph speed limit on the majority of its roads.

Motorists using Cromarty roads are now being warned they face tough penalties if they are caught speeding.

Originally there were plans to establish a part-time 20mph zone with flashing lights outside Cromarty Primary School, in line with more than 90% of other schools across the Highlands.

But local councillor David Alston suggested the money should instead be used to introduce a 20mph limit covering as much of the community as possible.

The permanent limits are now in place protecting pupils, the 720-villagers and the hundreds of visitors attracted to the area each year.

Mr Alston said: “I am delighted that we have been able to widen the coverage of the 20mph speed limit within Cromarty. It sends the message that our streets are first and foremost for people – they are public spaces in which cars are welcome, but which they will not be allowed to dominate.

By samantha chetwynd in The Press and Journal

Published: 02/12/2008

Chirnside is similar to Cromarty. The principle road through Chirnside is a minor (B) road and in places very narrow with  hardly any pavements. 

Twenty is Plenty.

 

The following is part of the New Year message from Rod King, the co-ordinator for 20's Plenty. For full report and activities see links page and:

http://www.20splentyforus.org.uk/

Portsmouth was the first and then only local authority to implement an authority-wide 20 mph speed limit on all but arterial and main roads. This had been phased in over 6 sectors of the city and the last sector was completed in March 2008.

Subsequent to that, the 197,700 inhabitants of Portsmouth have been joined by another 765,000 people living in Norwich, Oxford, Newcastle and Leicester who have decided that the 74 year old 30 mph default speed limit set in 1934 when there were just 2m motor vehicles on the roads , is no longer appropriate when this has now increased to 33m.

And this developing quest for a more civil way of sharing our public spaces we call roads is being considered in town halls up and down the country as they respond to community wishes to create an environment that provides far great equity and safety for those who wish to walk or cycle on our roads, or even simply pass the time of day chatting on the pavement.

People throughout the country have started to recognise that we are getting our transport priorities wrong. 20 mph for residential roads is seen as the key catalyst in the debate on how we use our roads. For if we dare not set a responsible speed limit for the roads where people live then how can call ourselves a civil society if those who wish to walk or cycle feel threatened by high traffic speeds. And yes, the reality is that whilst 30 mph may “feel” slow from the inside of a motor car with seat belts, airbags and up to 2 ton of metal designed primarily to protect the occupants, 30 mph is too fast when you are a child, or infirm and just inches away from the edge of the pavement. We need to widen the number of communities who have taken the decision that 20 mph is the right speed where people live and that they should only “speed up” to 30 mph where its safe to do so.

The aspiration for a more civilised sharing of the roads is the sign of a culture which has already changed. Of course there are a vocal minority of Mr Toad’s who want everyone to get out of their way, and the “slow to change” local authority establishment who find it easier to say “why they can’t” rather than “how they can”. But mainstream opinion, including 70% of drivers, is that 20mph is the correct speed limit for residential roads.