Cheshire East Council is urging residents to share their views on the authority's updated draft speed management strategy.
The document, which is being finalised in consultation with partners including Cheshire police who are responsible for speed enforcement across the borough, is now out for public consultation.
The strategy aims to provide a safer road environment for all by setting out how speed is managed on the borough's roads.
The document includes guidance about the way the council manages speed, while also considering the changing attitudes towards traffic management and speed, particularly since the pandemic, when people's habits and priorities changed. It also supports the council's 'active travel' priority, which aims to encourage more walking and cycling to help deliver on the authority's carbon neutral targets.
Councillor Craig Browne, deputy leader of Cheshire East Council and chair of its highways and transport committee, said: "The strategy identifies how we intend to ensure safe and efficient travel by managing speed across the borough with a focus on the three Es of education, enforcement and engineering.
"I would also like to point to the importance of three other Es: to empower, enable and encourage. And that is why this consultation is so important – and why people should get involved and share their views on this strategy.
"The public consultation is an opportunity to comment on the strategy, which is used to manage speed and, importantly, help people to feel safe – including those walking and cycling to get around. So, get involved and take part in the consultation."
The consultation is about the overall approach to managing speed – not the merits of existing speed limits on specific roads. More information can be found at: www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/consultations.
To comment on the strategy, complete the survey at: https://surveys.cheshireeast.gov.uk/s/SpeedManagementStrategyConsultation/
The survey closes at midnight on 31 January 2022. The council will then analyse the feedback and modify the strategy, if required before being submitted for approval and adoption by the council in summer 2022.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
So I would encourage everyone to respond to this consultation; it's really important that as many people as possible, however they use the roads, let CEC know what they think.
We think the speed management strategy must be fundamentally changed to
1) Acknowledge the centrality of traffic speed to the use of public space, including quality of life as well as collisions, injuries and deaths
2) Put the needs of vulnerable road users, children and the adoption of active travel central to the management of speed.
3) Set out measures and a timescale to effect a systematic reduction in speeds of motorised traffic in residential areas, including but not limited to the adoption of a 20mph speed limit as the norm in residential roads.
Read our response here, and please respond to the consultation with your own views
https://transitionwilmslow.co.uk/20s-plenty-for-us/
(the consultation questions themselves are rather confusing, and focus on particular parts of what is a 49 page document, but it is also possible to give an overview response of what you want on speed management just by email)
If people are really interested in improving road safety, we'd be better devoting time to the ACUTAL causes of accidents.
40% of all accidents are caused by poor observation. Taking a look at the driving standards around Wilmslow/Alderley, whether viewed from the driving seat, bike seat or from foot, will show how many near misses are down to poor observation and just bad driving.
Look at speeding, but spend some time on the real causes of accidents too if safer roads is your aim. Obsession with speed makes our roads less safe.
Top accidents causes from DfT:
Driver/Rider failed to look properly – 39.9%
Driver/Rider failed to judge other person's path or speed – 21.2%
Driver/Rider careless, reckless or in a hurry – 15.5%
Poor turn or manoeuvre – 13%
Loss of control – 10.9%
Pedestrian failed to look properly – 8.5%
Slippery road (due to weather) – 7.2%
Travelling too fast for conditions – 5.8%
Chapel Lane is a nightmare, parked cars make it a problem for pedestrian crossing as well as for motorists - it needs a zebra crossing part way down.
Bedell's similar with parked cars, although that has a zebra crossing as well as a crossing island near the roundabout - neither will ever be far from where you should *need* to cross.
Alderley Rd is the design of the road with the high banked kerb and recessed pavement, ironically designed to prevent people crossing other than to two traffic-light-controlled crossings.
I wouldn't say any of the three are speeding hotspots - you struggle to do more than 20mph due to traffic.
Chapel Lane is a nightmare, parked cars make it a problem for pedestrian crossing as well as for motorists - it needs a zebra crossing part way down.
Bedell's similar with parked cars, although that has a zebra crossing as well as a crossing island near the roundabout - neither will ever be far from where you should *need* to cross.
Alderley Rd is the design of the road with the high banked kerb and recessed pavement, ironically designed to prevent people crossing other than to two traffic-light-controlled crossings.
I wouldn't say any of the three are speeding hotspots - you struggle to do more than 20mph due to traffic.
Of all the near-misses I see in the town as a pedestrian, cyclist and driver, speed is never a factor.
https://mobile.twitter.com/GorseyBank/status/1487037818790625281?cxt=HHwWgoCyyY_BgqMpAAAA