The Council are working on implementing citywide mandatory 20mph limits on most roads. In what ways could the roll out of this be supported to maximise the road safety benefits?
1 - Implement a positive communication campaign about this in the media, on the back of the buses etc and educate drivers ahead of the change. People may be more receptive if they understand all the reasons why the speed has been dropped in given areas and what the expected benefits are. 2 - Many streets are one way and very wide, somehow "inviting" speeding. Return traffic in those one way streets to both ways and narrow the lanes when they are far too wide (still making sure it is wide enough for buses and lorries). Maybe also add zebras to show that drivers do not have the priority everywhere. Consider turning the space gained in wider pavement, planters, segregated cycle lanes or even some legal parking zones to make it look less like a race course. (on a side note, this would also reduce travel distance and unnecessary traffic in some cases, thus reducing noise and pollution? And it would make it easier to cycle from A to B).
Thank you for your comprehensive and helpful input; we have in place a draft communications plan to support the introduction of the city-wide 20mph speed limit which will include direct engagement with local communities and other road user groups/stakeholders. You're right, the more we explain the benefits and dispel the myths i.e., longer journey times, the more people will support it. More space for our most vulnerable road users is high on our agenda and where possible and over time, road space will be re-allocated to support active travel. We have been monitoring and looking into continental type zebras, but our engineering solutions are tightly controlled by road design regulations, but that's not to say we can't be innovative.
Thank you for participating, as this will be a city-wide mandatory 20mph limit, it will be enforced by Police Scotland . Early results from Wales show that vehicle speeds have reduced and the new limit is having a positive effect on driver behaviour with little or no impact on journey times.
I share crawfordm's skepticism about the impact of reducing the speed limit to 20mph. I don't think this issue is with the current speed limits but with people not respecting them. I think we mostly need enforcement to force people to adopt better habits. But this is good to hear early results from Wales are positive.
Thank you for you response, there are many benefits to the 20mph scheme which will include making our roads safer/more attractive for active travel. We have adopted the safe systems approach to road safety whereby we know that people make mistakes, and will continue to make mistakes on our roads. We need to therefore put in place measures to ensure that when people do make a mistake the outcome is less severe i.e., reduced speed = reduced injury.
Signs and painted markings on our roads have no effect on so many drivers, who seem to think they know best. These limits need to be strictly enforced from Day 1; the time for people to get used to them is before implementation, when there must be public information messages in the media. There must be traffic police out from Day 1 and people who infringe the limits must be penalised from Day 1.
Thank you for your comments, with any change in the speed limit we will of course undertake a city-wide publicity and engagement exercise as well as a full evaluation. Our partners in Police Scotland will of course be involved in the planning and implementation process.
That's a great suggestion, we currently deliver a full education programme in Glasgow's schools and work with our colleagues in Police Scotland to engage with pre-driver aged pupils. We also distribute free young driver magazines city-wide with hints and tips for new drivers.
This will require design to enforce. Asking drivers nicely has failed since cars were invented. Dutch kerbs, reallocation of road space. Sinusoidal speed bumps. Design stuff to LTN1/20.
Thank you for the suggestions, we will of course monitor the delivery of the project and engage with local communities re how we can encourage more active and sustainable travel through design and the re-allocation of space to our most vulnerable road users.
Thank you, we now utilise a speed analysis tool to help identify any roads in the city where speeding may be an issue. Thankfully, data shows that the majority of roads within the city have average speeds below the posted speed limit. We also review collision data and speed related collisions on a regular basis and where issues are identified, our engineers work in partnership with Police Scotland and Safety Cameras Scotland re a suitable solution.
The responsibility for the deployment of safety cameras lies with the Safety Cameras Scotland, not the local authority. They have a set of established criteria which must be met before an enforcement camera can be installed but we do engage with them to request specific sites are assessed to see if they meet their criteria.
Physical demarcation on roads like Kilmarnock Rd through Shawlands. Traffic needs to be made to slow down and change drivers attitudes. Physical measures and different road surface required to slow traffic.
Thank you for your comments, all roads in the city will be reviewed and considered for a 20mph limit. We will of course also consider the road environment and design where possible. A major publicity campaign will take place before and during implementation of the new limit.
Thank you for your comment. There was a private members Bill for blanket coverage to reduce the speed limit on restricted roads from 30mph to 20mph across the whole of Scotland. Restricted roads are normally street-lit urban or residential streets, although there are some exemptions to this definition. Unfortunately when the Scottish Parliament voted on the Bill, it failed to get a majority vote and was not be made. For this reason local authorites are having to roll this out within their respective areas.
Thanks for your reply - that's a shame. Still, I hope the council can err on the side of including roads in the 20mph and moving as quickly as practical given the constraints you have :)
1 - Implement a positive communication campaign about this in the media, on the back of the buses etc and educate drivers ahead of the change. People may be more receptive if they understand all the reasons why the speed has been dropped in given areas and what the expected benefits are. 2 - Many streets are one way and very wide, somehow "inviting" speeding. Return traffic in those one way streets to both ways and narrow the lanes when they are far too wide (still making sure it is wide enough for buses and lorries). Maybe also add zebras to show that drivers do not have the priority everywhere. Consider turning the space gained in wider pavement, planters, segregated cycle lanes or even some legal parking zones to make it look less like a race course. (on a side note, this would also reduce travel distance and unnecessary traffic in some cases, thus reducing noise and pollution? And it would make it easier to cycle from A to B).
Thank you for your comprehensive and helpful input; we have in place a draft communications plan to support the introduction of the city-wide 20mph speed limit which will include direct engagement with local communities and other road user groups/stakeholders. You're right, the more we explain the benefits and dispel the myths i.e., longer journey times, the more people will support it. More space for our most vulnerable road users is high on our agenda and where possible and over time, road space will be re-allocated to support active travel. We have been monitoring and looking into continental type zebras, but our engineering solutions are tightly controlled by road design regulations, but that's not to say we can't be innovative.
Unless there is enforcement action with a 20mph limit I don't think its going to matter, drivers often park, drive and behave with impunity.
Thank you for participating, as this will be a city-wide mandatory 20mph limit, it will be enforced by Police Scotland . Early results from Wales show that vehicle speeds have reduced and the new limit is having a positive effect on driver behaviour with little or no impact on journey times.
I share crawfordm's skepticism about the impact of reducing the speed limit to 20mph. I don't think this issue is with the current speed limits but with people not respecting them. I think we mostly need enforcement to force people to adopt better habits. But this is good to hear early results from Wales are positive.
Thank you for you response, there are many benefits to the 20mph scheme which will include making our roads safer/more attractive for active travel. We have adopted the safe systems approach to road safety whereby we know that people make mistakes, and will continue to make mistakes on our roads. We need to therefore put in place measures to ensure that when people do make a mistake the outcome is less severe i.e., reduced speed = reduced injury.
Traffic calming road design and enforcement.
Many thanks for your contribution. Are there any areas of the city that you believe require road redesign to help facilitate the 20mph initiative?
Signs and painted markings on our roads have no effect on so many drivers, who seem to think they know best. These limits need to be strictly enforced from Day 1; the time for people to get used to them is before implementation, when there must be public information messages in the media. There must be traffic police out from Day 1 and people who infringe the limits must be penalised from Day 1.
Thank you for your comments, with any change in the speed limit we will of course undertake a city-wide publicity and engagement exercise as well as a full evaluation. Our partners in Police Scotland will of course be involved in the planning and implementation process.
Driver education at Learner level. Education at all Secondary schools #
S4-6.
That's a great suggestion, we currently deliver a full education programme in Glasgow's schools and work with our colleagues in Police Scotland to engage with pre-driver aged pupils. We also distribute free young driver magazines city-wide with hints and tips for new drivers.
This will require design to enforce. Asking drivers nicely has failed since cars were invented. Dutch kerbs, reallocation of road space. Sinusoidal speed bumps. Design stuff to LTN1/20.
Thank you for the suggestions, we will of course monitor the delivery of the project and engage with local communities re how we can encourage more active and sustainable travel through design and the re-allocation of space to our most vulnerable road users.
need to enforce laws. currently poor driving and parking is not tackled . Roads need to be engineered to slow traffic down
Thanks very much for your contribution. Are there any other traffic calming measures you believe would benefit the city?
Thank you, we now utilise a speed analysis tool to help identify any roads in the city where speeding may be an issue. Thankfully, data shows that the majority of roads within the city have average speeds below the posted speed limit. We also review collision data and speed related collisions on a regular basis and where issues are identified, our engineers work in partnership with Police Scotland and Safety Cameras Scotland re a suitable solution.
This will be a big change for drivers, will speed cameras be installed to monitor/enforce this?
The responsibility for the deployment of safety cameras lies with the Safety Cameras Scotland, not the local authority. They have a set of established criteria which must be met before an enforcement camera can be installed but we do engage with them to request specific sites are assessed to see if they meet their criteria.
Physical demarcation on roads like Kilmarnock Rd through Shawlands. Traffic needs to be made to slow down and change drivers attitudes. Physical measures and different road surface required to slow traffic.
Thank you for your comments, all roads in the city will be reviewed and considered for a 20mph limit. We will of course also consider the road environment and design where possible. A major publicity campaign will take place before and during implementation of the new limit.
Do we need a roll out? Why not start everywhere, then roll back individual roads as needed? The status quo is not a neutral position.
Thank you for your comment. There was a private members Bill for blanket coverage to reduce the speed limit on restricted roads from 30mph to 20mph across the whole of Scotland. Restricted roads are normally street-lit urban or residential streets, although there are some exemptions to this definition. Unfortunately when the Scottish Parliament voted on the Bill, it failed to get a majority vote and was not be made. For this reason local authorites are having to roll this out within their respective areas.
Thanks for your reply - that's a shame. Still, I hope the council can err on the side of including roads in the 20mph and moving as quickly as practical given the constraints you have :)