East Sussex residents 'bewildered' as calls for 20-mph speed limits in residential areas rejected

The petition, signed by more than 1000 people, called for the application of these restrictions, pointing to the success of it adoption in a number of major UK cities.

Lewes District councillor Wendy Maples explained: “There is a wealth of evidence from across the UK, and supported by the World Health Organisation, that reducing speeds and keeping to 20 mph has huge benefits.

"Yes, it reduces accidents and air pollution, but also, it encourages more vulnerable road users to feel safe.”

According to the campaign group 20’s Plenty For Us, 28 million people in the UK live in places where 20mph is or will be the urban/village norm.

The East Sussex County Council [ESCC] said it assessed a potential scheme to introduce a default 20-mph speed limit for residential roads across the county, but did not see it as a priority, claiming that it only had a finite amount of funding to develop local transport improvements.

The decision was described as ‘bewildering’ by councillor Maples, who said: “East Sussex County Council says it doesn’t look at ‘feelings’, but feeling safe means more active travel, more people walking and getting on their bikes, rather than getting in their cars.

"It’s an economically and environmentally virtuous circle that improves the health and resilience of our local communities. It’s bewildering that the County Council refuses to look at the evidence never mind the wishes of residents.”

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The ESCC said its new Speed Limit Programme will assess the potential for lower speed limits across all A and B class roads within the county and identify a programme of improvements.

Over the next three years, the council claims that more than 25 stretches of road will benefit from speed limit reductions or measures that will increase the effectiveness of existing speed limits.

District councillor and and petitioner Mark Slater said it was the local residents who would suffer the most from the county council’s latest decision.

Councillor Slater said: “The County Council only considers the motorists passing through, and ignores the residents who bear the impact.”