COUNTY COUNCIL LOCAL COMMITTEE FOR
EDEN
Meeting date:
From:
11 January 2012
Assistant Director – Highways and Transport
NEW DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT ADVICE ON 20MPH
SPEED LIMITS, ZONES AND SIGNS
1.0
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1
This report provides information on 20mph zones and speed limits,
having regard to amendments to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984
– Sections 64 and 65 entitled: ‘Special Directions’ and ‘Authorisation of
Traffic Signs and Special Directions’ both issued by the Department for
Transport in October 2011.
2.0
STRATEGIC PLANNING AND EQUALITY IMPLICATIONS
2.1
The Council as Highway Authority has responsibilities for road safety
and its policies are set out in the Local Transport Plan and the
compendium of transport and highways policies.
2.2
The Local Committee has delegated power to make speed restriction
orders subject to the overall policy context determined by the County
Council. The County Council’s current policy on the setting of local
speed limits was considered by Cabinet at its meeting of 21 July 2009.
2.3
Speed limits are introduced through Traffic Regulation Orders and
associated signing and engineering measures that are funded from
allocated local budgets.
2.4
There are no equality implications of this report.
3.0
RECOMMENDATION
3.1
That members note
 the amendments and relaxations for 20 mph speed limits and
zones
 the authorised advisory 20 mph limit sign for use outside
schools.
 The cost and technical considerations set out in the report.
4.0
BACKGROUND
4.1
Special Direction and Authorisation of Traffic Signs and Special Direction
documents were issued in October 2011 as amendments to the Road Traffic
Regulation Act 1984, Sections 64 and 65. A number of amendments to the
application of 20 mph speed limits and zones are included. The aim of the
amendments is to increase flexibility and to give discretion to traffic
authorities on the placing of traffic calming features (in very restricted
circumstances), signs and road markings within 20mph zones and 20mph
speed limits. There is also the inclusion of an authorised advisory 20 mph
traffic sign which can be used outside schools in conjunction with warning
signs and school flasher units.
20mph zones
4.2
The Special Directions amendments allow 20 roundel road markings and 20
repeater signs to be included where appropriate as an alternative to the
already prescribed traffic calming features within a 20 mph zone where
speeds are already low. Where appropriate, such as areas where speeds
are restricted by the nature of the road, schemes could be designed with
fewer physical features resulting in reduced environmental impact and lower
capital cost; though there would be benefits and disbenefits in terms of long
term maintenance liability.
20 mph speed limit zones are defined by their inclusion of traffic calming
features every 100 metres, and this has not been relaxed. The amendment
allows the consideration of fewer physical traffic calming features whether
vertical such as speed cushions, road humps or raised junctions or
horizontal such as build outs, pinch points or chicanes. This is because 20
roundel carriageway markings and 20 repeater signs can also be considered
as an alternative. It is necessary for a 20 mph zone to have at least one
traffic calming feature and consideration must be given to the purpose of the
scheme and whether it will be effective in reducing the speeds without
appropriate traffic calming.
This amendment allows road marking roundels or up-right signs in 20mph
zones but only at those locations where speeds are already restricted by
road alignments, typically to no more than 24mph. It is considered that in the
vast majority of locations a 20mph zone will have to incorporate the physical
features described in the previous paragraph.
20mph speed limits and zones
4.3
The amendments allow that within 20mph zones and 20mph speed limits, 20
roundel markings can be used as an alternative to upright repeater signs.
The implication of this is that 20mph speed limits can be implemented with
20 roundel markings and without the need for additional sign clutter at
regular repeater intervals. This would reduce the cost of some schemes
where a large number of repeater signs would be required. It must be
considered that an increased maintenance cost may be incurred as the road
markings may need refreshing at regular intervals. 20mph speed limits are
only appropriate where typical sppeds are no greater than 24mph – in such
cases physical measures are not necessary and the choice is between upright signs and markings.
4.4
The implication of the amendments is that Cumbria County Council as the
Highway Authority must determine on a site by site basis whether any
relaxations are appropriate. The existing Department for Transport (DfT)
guidance on setting local speed limits advises that when implementing a
20mph speed limit, with signing only, the speeds must already be low. DfT
Traffic Advisory Leaflet 9/99 “20 mph speed limits and zones” advises that
average speeds should be close to 20 mph and recommends not above 24
mph for a signing only 20 mph limit scheme. Implementation of a 20mph
speed limit where average speeds are higher than 24mph has been shown
to reduce vehicles speeds on average by 1mph. The result is that concerns
regarding speed can often be re-raised without a suitable scheme.
4.5
Areas where average speeds are higher than 24mph should be considered
for a 20mph speed zone with traffic calming measures to reduce speeds.
20mph zone schemes with traffic calming features should be self enforcing
by virtue of the traffic calming features.
Advisory 20mph sign outside schools.
4.6
The Authorisation of Traffic Signs and Special Directions document details
authorisation for a part-time advisory 20mph speed warning sign for use
outside schools. The authorised sign, shown in Appendix 1, must be
accompanied by a school flashing unit and warning sign and may be placed
on one side of the road only. The 20mph warning is advisory and in
operation as and when the lights flash. The normal speed restriction for the
road would remain the legally enforceable limit. The light signals must flash
at school times and only within the school term to avoid drivers coming to
ignore them by overuse when children are on holiday.
4.7
The advisory 20mph speed warning needs careful site specific consideration
as there could be significant cost implications. Where school flashing lights
have previously been installed and are on a suitable post, in a suitable
position, the cost of erecting the authorised sign will be significantly lower
than where new posts may be required. However, whilst existing posts may
be able to be made suitable by the use of a post extension, in many cases
the length of post extension required might not be structurally viable due to
the bending moments at the post joint. Costs per sign might range from £300
to £1,000 dependent upon whether the existing post needs to be abandoned
and replaced at a new location together with reinstatements etc.
4.8
Where school flashing lights have not previously been erected the costs for
new light units with the signs and electrical connections, as a cost estimate
based on 2011/12 rates, could be upwards of £5000 for a pair of units ie one
either side of the school entrance.
5.0
OPTIONS
5.1
Members to note the advice in this report and use it to inform their
responses to community concerns and requests for changes to speed limits.
6.0
RESOURCE AND VALUE FOR MONEY IMPLICATIONS
6.1
The introduction of speed limits, 20mph zones and 20 advisory warning
signs would be highway improvement schemes requiring funding approval
via the devolved highways capital programme. The assessment, design,
consultation and advertising costs etc would also be met from the capital
budget.
6.2
There is insufficient budget in the 2011/12 devolved capital programme, but
members have the opportunity to make recommendations to Local
Committee regarding the 2012/13 capital programme. A report about next
year’s capital programme will be presented to the next meeting of this
Committee.
6.3
Increases in the number and type of highways infrastructure assets will
inevitably result in an increase in long term maintenance liabilities falling
upon the devolved highways and road lighting maintenance revenue
budgets.
7.0
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
7.1
There are no legal implication to this report.
8.0
CONCLUSION
8.1
Requests for consideration of local changes to speed limits of 20mph or the
introductions of 20mph zones are raised with members and officers from
time to time.
8.2
The existing options for 20mph limits remain as 20mph speed limit, 20mph
speed zone, and advisory 20mph limit with the additional authorised sign to
allow advisory 20mph limit outside schools as part of a variable speed limit.
8.3
The amendments for 20mph speed zones allow 20 roundel road markings
and 20 repeater signs to be used in very restricted circumstances (see the
third paragraph in section 4.2) in conjunction with traffic calming features.
The amendments allow relaxation within 20mph speed limits for 20 roundel
road markings to be used on the carriageway instead of up-right repeater
traffic signs (section 4.3).
Andrew Moss
Assistant Director – Highways and Transport
December 2011
APPENDICES
Appendix 1
Authorisation Plate A – Advisory 20mph sign outside
schools
IMPLICATIONS
Electoral Division(s):
All
* Please remove whichever option is not applicable
Executive Decision
No
Key Decision
No
If a Key Decision, is the proposal published in the current Forward Plan?
Is the decision exempt from call-in on grounds of urgency?
N/A
No
If exempt from call-in, has the agreement of the Chair of the relevant
Overview and Scrutiny Committee been sought or obtained?
N/A
Has this matter been considered by Overview and Scrutiny?
If so, give details below.
No
Has an environmental or sustainability impact assessment been
undertaken?
No
Has an equality impact assessment been undertaken?
No
PREVIOUS RELEVANT COUNCIL OR EXECUTIVE DECISIONS
[including Local Committees]
Cabinet 21 July 2009
CONSIDERATION BY OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY
Not considered by Overview and Scrutiny.
BACKGROUND PAPERS
DfT Circular 1/2006 “Setting Local Speed Limits”
DfT Traffic Advisory Leaflet 9/99 (June 1999) “20 mph Speed Limits and Zones”
Directions of the Traffic Signs & General Directions 2002
REPORT AUTHOR
Rob Lawley Tel 01768 812149
Email: [email protected]
Appendix 1 : Authorisation Plate A – Advisory 20mph limit outside schools.
Extract from Traffic Signs Policy Paper – Signing the way to show general
assembly layout.