Has 20mph scheme been a success in Bedminster?

Following a pilot scheme here in Bedminster, a road safety report is recommending that a 20 miles-per-hour speed limit be introduced on residential roads across the city.

The report has been produced by Bristol City Council, NHS Bristol and the University of the West of England.

It also calls for walking and cycling to be promoted and says that the 20mph schemes ‘dovetail well’ with that aim.

The report calls for a city in which it is safe and pleasant to move around and beneficial to pedestrians, cyclists and users of public transport.

Bristol’s Director of Public Health Dr Hugh Annett said: “Road danger reduction is integral to making walking and cycling more attractive, safer, and in making Bristol a truly healthy city."

So how has the scheme worked in Bedminster? It covers most residential roads, with the exception of main roads, like St John’s Lane.

Councillor Mark Bradshaw (Labour, Bedminster) would like to see the scheme extended to areas like Ashton Vale and Marksbury Road, considering the local primary schools there.

And, said Mr Bradshaw, some form of enforcement is needed as there is none at the moment.

According to the report, the average speed in the 20mph zones has dropped to around 24mph.

It certainly seems to me that the new limit is being ignored on some of our roads. On St. Luke’s Road for example, many drivers fail to keep their speed down to 30mph, never mind obey the new 20mph speed limit.

Councillor Mark Bailey (Lib Dem, Windmill Hill) said: “It would seem that the 20mph zones are working reasonably well although we will need to see the data collected, throughout the pilot period, to judge just how effective the scheme have been.

“Most residents are supportive and I haven't received any complaints. In fact, the only correspondence that I have received has been from people who wanted to know when the zones were being extended.”

What do you think? Would you say the scheme has been a success and should it be extended?