I want more haste towards less speed

1.24.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 6th Nov 2007

Judith Lubbock

Councillor Judith Lubbock is frustrated that the slow-turning wheels of local government are preventing residential roads from having a blanket 20mph speed limit and has now urged people to take voluntary action by sticking to the speed.

Norwich City Council earlier this year supported the policy of a 20mph blanket limit in all residential areas following a motion from the Liberal Democrats. But the city council alone is powerless to introduce speed restrictions because highways matters are decided by a joint Highways Agency Committee, made up of both city and county councillors.

Officers are currently looking into the feasibility of introducing the limits, but Judith Lubbock, Liberal Democrat councillor for Eaton, has hit out at the lack of progress in the study.

She said: "It is very disappointing that progress has not been made. The public wants to see these limits and the government's road safety advisers have recommended a reduction which will halve the number of deaths on Britain's roads within the next few years.

"I just cannot understand what we are waiting for. I think we should stop relying on this council to do things and start doing things ourselves.

"If people want to make the streets safer then they can decide to slow down themselves. Let's take direct action and make the streets safer."