Response to the Eaton 20mph proposals

The local Lib Dems have responded to the publication of the recommendations for how to proceed with the 20mph scheme in Eaton.

Councillors spent August talking with residents, EVRA and officers about the proposals for Greenways and Church Lane, given that they were so out of proportion to what was needed. One resident described the proposed scheme as 'a sledgehammer to crack a nut'.

We did have some concerns that running the consultation entirely during the August summer break may have led to a reduction in response, and it was very clear from the street surgery that we held on Bank Holiday Monday that many people who live off Greenways were simply unaware of the proposals.

However, the outcome of giving the Greenways area a 20mph scheme without additional highways works for an experimental period of one year is sensible.

After six months they will do some traffic surveys to see if there has been a reduction in speed just with the signs, although we would argue that it will take more than six months to change behaviour and we should be given a year.

We are told that if speeds have not reduced, then they may revert to 30mph. This stance seems odd as the guidance does say '20 mph should be self-enforcing through site conditions such as signage OR traffic calming'.