Whitchurch to pilot 20mph scheme (From Basingstoke Gazette)
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Whitchurch to pilot 20mph scheme
9:11am Wednesday 12th September 2012 in Local By Emily Roberts, Chief Reporter
WHITCHURCH has been chosen to pilot a 20mph speed limit scheme.
Hampshire County Council approved the programme in April, to trial 20mph speed limits in 10 places in Hampshire, and has now announced that Whitchurch will be one of them.
The trial will cost £250,000 and the first schemes are expected to be implemented in the spring, following consultation with residents to establish support for the lower speed limit in the chosen areas.
However, the council said police are “unlikely” to treat enforcement of the 20mph limit as a priority.
Road signs and 20mph road markings will be installed in Whitchurch, and residents will be encouraged to promote awareness of the new speed limit through a publicity campaign.
The town was chosen to be involved in the pilot partly because of backing from residents. Find out more in tomorrow’s Gazette .
Cyclestrian says...
2:27pm Thu 13 Sep 12
Really a pilot scheme is unnecessary because the case for 20mph residential has been proven through much larger schemes in UK and overseas. Benefits are multiple: health, communities, environment and obviously less injury. So I assume HCC is really just dragging its feet (or knuckles?)
Anyway, from a drivers perspective, consider this little test I did a while back (try it yourself):
Drove car+gps twice around 1.3 mile residential loop:
20-limit-driving-sty
le: av 19.0mph peak 25mph 53mpg
30-limit-driving-sty
le: av 22.5mph peak 36mph 46mpg
Because in a 30 you so often have to stop or slow for junctions and obstructions, you spend very little time above 20 anyway. So keeping peak speed down really doesn't take much more time overall and saves you fuel (experts reckon 14%). Remember you'd only drive up to a couple of minutes in 20 before you hit a main road and 30+.