News RSS Feed


Scheme for 20mph limit in Abingdon stalls

7:00pm Monday 9th August 2010 in


PLANS to introduce a 20mph speed limit in Abingdon town centre have been put on hold as part of the county council’s spending review.

The scheme was placed under review at the last meeting of the full council and will not come into force this year as planned.

The scheme to cut the 30mph limit was opposed by the police and the town council, but was approved by the county council in February.

Sarah Brinkley, deputy headteacher at the town’s John Mason School, said: “If we’re to encourage our children to live healthily and to feel safe in our community, then we have to encourage the drivers to participate too. Not every driver is aware of children, and if reducing the speed limit makes that a reality then that is a good thing.

“If going to 20 would make a difference, the time to lower the limit is now.”

Thames Valley Police said the town centre streets were unsuitable for speed reductions and that extra traffic-calming measures would be needed if a reduced limit was to have any effect.

The town council said members had concerns about how the limit would be enforced.

A survey carried out for the county council found that the average speed on the roads covered by the proposal was between 16mph and 21mph.

Related links


Comments(14)

benjamin says...
9:55am Tue 10 Aug 10

How long ago was it possible to get up to 20mph in Abingdon Town Centre?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

benjamin says...
9:59am Tue 10 Aug 10

If their expensive survey found that average speeds were only 16 to 21mph, then why waste time discussing changing the limit?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

mickey-bear says...
1:19pm Tue 10 Aug 10

Like all averages, this 'ignores' the high and low speeds that go to make up the average. Speeds of up to 48mph have been recorded on Stert Street and in the high 30s on West St Helen Street. Of course, much of the time, because of the traffic congestion - which has been exacerbated by the idiotic AbITS scheme, traffic crawls at very low speed, but at night, reckless drivers reach crazy speeds on roads through the town. The County Council produced a faked document a few years back claiming that their plans met DfT guidelines; this was shown to be a postdated forgery, and the Road Safety Team had in fact explicitly pointed out that additional 'features' were required to make the limit self-enforcing. To this extent the Police are right. What the Association of Chief Police Officers, and both the Environment and Transport Committees of the House of Commons have recommended is that 'SPECS' cameras are used to control speeds in urban areas, measuring average speeds across the zone at all times, night and day. £500,000 was specifically earmarked for the 20mph zone as part of the AbITS scheme, and should still be available. The SPECS scheme would cost significantly less (about £200,000) than putting in all the required features to make the zone DfT compliant, and would be a lot less unsightly, with many fewer signs required, and no ugly chicanes, squeeze zones, humps (which cause greatly increased pollution) etc. A classic example of OCC incompetence, I'm afraid.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Floflo says...
1:27pm Tue 10 Aug 10

benjamin wrote:
If their expensive survey found that average speeds were only 16 to 21mph, then why waste time discussing changing the limit?
The clue to your answer is in the word 'average'.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Berty says...
2:28pm Tue 10 Aug 10

Sorry, I don't understand Floflo. Wouldn't the average of 16 to 21% be an avaerage of 16 plus 21, which would still be less than 20?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

carioca says...
2:40pm Tue 10 Aug 10

I often cycle down Stert Street, which means having to make a mad dash to avoid being forced off the road by impatient drivers from Stratton Way. I'm pretty quick, but as most drivers go much faster than 20mph I'll find myself with cars inches away from my back revving like crazy. No one drives at 20mph in town, everyone is far faster. Such a shame the limit was not introduced, would have made it far safer for pedestrians, and those that do treat the town center as a race track

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

abingdonC says...
9:27am Thu 12 Aug 10

Stratton Way the crossing is not long enough time to allow pedestrians to cross.

I am fit, and have never managed to reach the other side without the 'green man' switching back to red.

Will it take several accidents before they are corrected.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

YellowMilton says...
10:43pm Thu 12 Aug 10

Can we all let nichola blackwood our views on the state of abingdon traffic. She loved my emails.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

B T says...
9:41pm Sat 14 Aug 10

Who would want to go to Abingdon in the first place ?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Random Ro says...
12:08am Sun 15 Aug 10

Berty wrote:
Sorry, I don't understand Floflo. Wouldn't the average of 16 to 21% be an avaerage of 16 plus 21, which would still be less than 20?
I agree with you Berty.
My John Mason maths tell me thats an average of 18.5mph.
Forget about the ludicrously priced electronic devices.
Forget about the obstructions to traffic flow, that are humps and chicanes.
A few 20mph signs would be much cheaper and actually allow an increase in average speed too !
Everybody should be happy ?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Albert P says...
10:00am Sun 15 Aug 10

Lets just be grateful they're not wasting any more of our money !!!

Long live Jeremy !

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

tercar says...
12:19pm Wed 18 Aug 10

How long ago could you do 20mph through the town Benjamin ? i left in 82 and you could just about do it then but only on Stratton Way mind you i would'nt want to try it now but only because of the dreaded speed cameras not the dozy local cops nothings changed there! all i ever seem to see in the press is how much the place has gone to dogs glad i got out and got a life

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

madman1 says...
8:51pm Fri 20 Aug 10

The Problem is not just speed,
It is also the fact that people do not use the crossings that are provided they would rather risk getting run over than walk to a proper crossing. If you drive down the high street you will find people are not using the crossing or waiting for them. What we need is penalties for people who J-walk like in America. These people are risking their lives crossing in dangerous places, just sit outside the bus stop and you will see how many people step out from behind a bus even if there is a crossing 5m away. it's simple laziness. What’s more people like to blame the driver even if the pedestrian does something dangerous.

Secondly the council planners should get the sack for changing the one-way system. Ok it wasn't great but it worked and how there are lights stopping the traffic, it used to be a 10 minute drive in to town from marcham now its 40 minutes and the only thing that has changed it the one-way system. The scheme cost millions and it have made traffic worse. What is more irritating the council were thinking of a congestion charge for something they caused in the first place.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

terrytowel says...
6:29pm Tue 7 Sep 10

Thames Valley police are not keen on 20 mph limits so won't enforce them - so what's the point?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

More News stories


Most popular



Local Information

Enter your postcode, town or place name

House prices »   Schools »   Crime »   Hospitals »

Local Businesses