Lambeth Green Party has welcomed Lambeth Council’s decision to put in place a borough-wide 20mph speed limit to reduce the high level of deaths and injuries on the roads.
Green Councillor Scott Ainslie, pictured by Brixton Buzz
On July 20th Lambeth’s Cabinet Member for Environment & Sustainability Cllr Jennifer Brathwaite is expected to confirm a proposal to spend £700,000 from its annual Borough Local Implementation allocation from Transport for London to implement the scheme with street signs and road markings from April 2016. Traffic calming measures are only proposed if speed limits appear not to be observed and further funding becomes available.
Latest figures show that more people are dying in Lambeth from road traffic collisions than anywhere else in Inner London, making it London’s deadliest borough. Lambeth also has the third highest figures for serious injuries.
Former Green Councillor for Herne Hill ward Rebecca Thackray first raised the issue of traffic calming in 2006. Since then, Greens have continued to put pressure on Lambeth. The decision is a welcome U-turn after Labour threw doubt on the progress of 20mph in the borough when its councillors amended a council motion in July 2014 tabled by the Green Party councillor Scott Ainslie to remove all references to a timetable for implementing the limit.
“Nine years after Green councillors first proposed a 20mph limit it is great news that Lambeth will finally take this long overdue step,” said Lambeth Green Party convenor Jonathan Bartley.
“We know slower traffic speeds lead to fewer serious injuries and deaths – whilst improving traffic flow. Safer roads, with slower speeds, also encourage more people to travel on foot and by bike.
Mr Bartley said: “There are many more measures Lambeth and Transport for London need to take to return our streets to our local communities. Red Routes will not yet be included in the borough-wide limit and speed limit enforcement is key along Red Routes operated by TfL, along with redesigning road layouts in some of the danger spots such as along the A23 in Streatham.”