LibDems welcome 20mph limit extension (Islington Liberal Democrats)

Islington Liberal Democrats <Islington_ld@cix.co.uk>

LibDems welcome 20mph limit extension

December 1, 2011 12:00 AM

Responding to the news that Islington Council will be extending its borough-wide 20mph speed limit to include main roads managed by the council, Highbury Liberal Democrat councillor Julie Horten said:

"Residents, campaigners and Liberal Democrats have been calling for this move for months now so I am pleased the council has listened and roads such as Hornsey Rise,HighburyParkand Highbury Grove will now have 20mph limits.

"Slowing traffic down to 20mph has a proven effect on saving lives and there has been a welcome fall in the number of fatalities on Islington roads over the last ten years as speed restrictions were introduced. However, there have been some very high-profile fatalities in recent years in Islington and every one is one too many.

"It was confusing that the majority of roads in Islington since last summer had a speed limit of 20mph, while others were 30mph. Now the council needs to make sure it finds the funding to make this promise a reality."

ENDS

Note to Editors

The full list of roads that residents and Liberal Democrats wanted included in the borough-wide 20mph limit scheme included: Hornsey Rise -Junction Road-HighburyPark- Highbury Grove -Blackstock Road.
These streets were chosen by residents at the council's former area committee meetings. Labour councillors chose to ignore these recommendations previously.
Liberal Democrat councillors 'called in' the July 2010 council Executive decision to includeWharfdale Roadin the borough-wide 20mph limit so that the other roads could also be included. Labour councillors refused to back the move at the time.
The council's Regeneration Review Committee, chaired by Liberal Democrat Greg Foxsmith, produced a report in March 2011 calling for the inclusion of main roads. The council's Executive agreed this proposal at its meeting on 24^th November 2011.