Paddock Wood councillors bid for 20mph speed limit
PADDOCK Wood could become the first community in Kent to trial 20mph zones enforced by average speed cameras if town councillors get their way.
The authority is writing to Kent County Council asking for residents to be used as "guinea pigs" when a scheme currently being tested by Transport For London in parts of the capital comes to Kent.
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Town councillor Ron Goodman with his wife Liz and their children, Josephine, Bessie, Abraron, Laura and Joseph. He is calling for 20mph limits throughout Paddock Wood and new pedestrian crossings in Commercial Road and Church Road. SL2701102/1
The move came after councillors discussed a Department for Transport (DfT) circular on speed limits at their monthly meeting last week.
After hearing that such schemes have been proven to reduce injuries and benefit the environment, Cllr Ray Moon said: "The evidence is overwhelming.
"It is proven that a 20mph speed limit does reduce casualties. It is the way forward, and the DfT has recognised that."
The circular states the DfT's intention "to encourage highway authorities... to introduce 20mph zones... into streets which are primarily residential in nature".
Councillor Elizabeth Thomas urged caution before taking the plunge, saying: "Not every road is suitable for a 20mph speed limit."
A motion from vice-chairman Norman Cochrane to request 20mph limits enforced by cameras was passed unanimously.
The move was welcomed by Cllr Ron Goodman who had lambasted his colleagues earlier in the evening for a lack of action.
Speaking after the meeting, father-of-five Cllr Goodman, who has campaigned for new speed limits and pedestrian crossings for 20 years, said he had lost faith in the town council.
The Church Road resident said: "The council talks a lot, but doing anything is another matter.
"I spoke to (town council chairman Ron Aitchison) about a year ago, and he agreed we need a pedestrian crossing near Waitrose and another in Church Road. He said it was in the pipeline, but it didn't go anywhere."
Identifying Commercial Road as another dangerous spot for pedestrians, Cllr Goodman said he planned to start his own petition calling for immediate action.
Cllr Goodman added: "We can always make excuses and find reasons not to do these things. Let's get them in place. Give the children a chance to survive."
What do you think? Visit www.thisiskent.co.uk/paddockwood
21 Comments
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by Tricia Bewsey, Paddock Wood
Sunday, January 09 2011, 2:18PM
“I like living here it's a vibrant self supporting little town. Why oh why must egotistical councillors come up with pointless ideas to spoil it. Chance would be a fine thing to go over 20mph in Commercial road. As all and sundry keep telling you its the double yellow line parkers who cause problems. Answer is easy and would add to the town's atmosphere.. Make it a pedestrian only area between War memorial and first car-park., say between 10am and 4pm Deliveries can be made mostly to the rear of properties or after these hours or during if essential. Do we need another camera no, do we need more pressure in our lives to conform, no !!! Has there been copious accidents around our streets, no !!!!! Your are voted in to fulfill our wishes remember that.”
by Richard, Paddock wood
Sunday, March 21 2010, 5:46PM
“When are these unqualified penpushers going to stop trying to make a name for themselves interfering in average joes daily life ,I live in paddock wood and there are no major accidents that I have heard of and there is certainly no need to waste tax payers money on more cameras to spy on people for finacial gain I used to work for transport for London and I can assure you they are the most inefficent company (and politically correct ,Ken Livingston ) I have ever worked for , If you want to cut accidents a start may be to train youngsters roadsense like the tufty club/ greencross code etc instead of todays younger generation who walk in the road and expect cars to stop then blame the motorist when they get hit.
If speed ( Revenue ) cameras where scrapped and properly trained traffic police this would cut reckless drivering not just fine some one for doing 31mph and calling them a criminal .”
by Terry Hudson, Herne Bay, Kent
Monday, March 08 2010, 10:32PM
“Linda, of Paddock Wood you are right, roads are supposed to be for cars and I would add the movement of goods. But sadly such veiws are no longer held by those in charge of our roads! The governemnt issues all council with a list of 'guidelines' for streets, called 'Manual for Streets' Barring motorways and most 'A' and 'B' class rural roads, this wonderful document states the "hierarchy" for streets and I quote in descending order, pedestrians, cycllists, public transport users, emergency services, dustcarts,waste vehicles etc, then as they put it "other motor traffic" So there you have it, licence holders are bottom of the list, despite the nearly £1 billion a week, yes a week, collected in direct motoring taxes!
Some other jems from this manual are "Streets should not be designed just to accommodate the movement of motor vehicles" or "it is all too easy to forget that streets are not just there to get people from A to B" and streets should not be "primarily designed to meet the needs of motor traffic"
These sort of ultra low speed limits, started out in London with 'loony left councils' now these policies have been adopted by all major political parties.
This extract is on one of the front pages of Kent Highway Sevices website, "Restricting the availability of parking has been found to be the single most effective measure in persuading people to leave their cars at home"
So by denying you a parking space, effectively denies you the journey, coupled with ever lower speed limits, all helps this 'bash the driver' policy, in the vain hope that you will put on you bycycle clips, or let your movements and destinations and lifestyle be dictated too, by a bus timetables.”
by Linda - Paddock Wood, Paddock Wood
Sunday, March 07 2010, 3:50PM
“Waste of time - motorist do not keep to a 30mph spped limit so what difference will it make making it 20mph. I expect most of the accidents happen for speeding over 30 anyway. The roads round Paddock Wood are now being restricted, soon we will not be able to travel anywhere as it will take hours to get there. Stop picking on motorists perhaps pedistrians should be more careful - control your children - stop them running in front of cars after all the road is supposed to be for cars and not pedistrians”
by David Newman, Tenterden
Monday, March 01 2010, 7:32PM
“There are very few attractions in Paddock Wood appart from the Hop Farm which is ouside the town. If you set up a 20mph zone you will kill off any out of town shoppers coming to visit. Forget the idea, there are far too many cameras in our life already without any more survellance. Do you want to be known as "Paddock Big Brotherwood". Its much cheaper and more effective to put up some speed indicator devices if you want to slow people down. Lets see some sense and stop pandering to the TFL lefties.”