On returning to the Parish Council some two years ago, I was told that an application was in train to introduce a 20 mph speed limit in the village. And, subsequently, at every meeting, the apparent lack of progress was noted, despite the promises made by our County Councillor.
Well, in fairness, I should report that, on Friday, the Order was published confirming that traffic through the village will need to be a bit more cautious in future. The new speed limit comes into effect tomorrow, and all credit is due to my fellow councillors and to Gary Green, the Conservative County Councillor for Stowmarket North and Stowupland.
The speed limit covers the area north of the A14 bridge to the northern edge of the village, as well as The Lane, so not a huge inconvenience to those who drive through on their way to the great metropolises of Stowupland and Needham Market, I trust.
I assume that there will be some new street furniture, with the 30 mph signs replaced by 20 mph ones, and some road markings will need to be redone, but I’m hoping that this will follow shortly.
There is a modest irony in all of this, in that I was once quoted by the BBC as being opposed to mandatory 20 mph speed limits in built-up areas, and I stand by that. Here, though, the village wants it, and thus I have no cause to oppose it. We don’t have pavements, so children, walkers and other pedestrians are sharing the road space with traffic, and having it travel more slowly is frankly in everyone’s interest. It also makes it a little safer for traffic emerging from The Lane, given that the hedge on the corner makes visibility a little tricky.
But it also demonstrates that a Parish Council with a strategy and a simple plan can achieve something for its community, and I think that that’s something we can all get behind...
No comments:
Post a Comment