Banbury councillors come out in support of county council’s amended 20mph speed limit plans

At the meeting this morning, cabinet member for transport management Cllr Andrew Gant approved the introduction of 20mph speed limits in Banbury.

The new speed limits will now come into action on most residential roads in the town as part of the county council’s 20mph Speed Limit Project.

Previous plans to introduce a blanket 20mph speed limit across the town were scrapped after they were met with objections from councillors and members of the public.

In Banbury, of 649 online and four email consultation responses received, support for the original proposals was expressed by 136 local residents, five members of the public, three local councillors, two local groups or organisations, and two businesses.

Banbury Active Travel Supporters representative Paul Bonsor said he “fully supported the 20mph speed limit”.

But Mr Bonsor added: “We do not agree with the exceptions which have been proposed.

“We believe they would compromise the ambitions of the Vision Zero project and other more local objectives.

“We submitted a proposal for the original ’20 is Plenty’ and we still fully agree with the principle that it works extremely well in reducing traffic fatalities and accidents, and protects pedestrians, and also widens the scope for cyclists and pedestrians to move around safely and pleasantly in Banbury.”

The Coalition for Healthy Streets and Active Travel (CoHSAT) chairman Robin Tucker also said he believed the schemes would “reduce casualties” across the county.

Speaking about the council’s decision, chairman of the Cherwell District Council, Dr Chukwudi Okeke, said: “Banbury Cross and Neithrop councillors welcome the news that there will not be blanket 20mph in Banbury.

"Keeping arterial roads at national speed limit seems sensible; however, reducing the speed limit around schools and areas with increased risk of traffic collisions, such as Warwick Road, would be reasonable and have our full support.”

Councillor for Easington on the town, district and county councils and member of the Banbury Traffic Advisory Committee, Kieron Mallon, was one of the most vocal in his opposition to the blanket speed limit.

This morning, Cllr Mallon issued a statement in support of the amended speed limit plans. He said: “For Banbury to work in every sense of the word, we need traffic to flow safely, not be impeded and held up.

"The new zones are a great improvement on the original ones, but I doubt if they will be effective as they will not be properly policed by Thames Valley Police, who quite rightly should be solving crimes, not issuing tickets at every street corner. My proposal is a common sense compromise and I am glad for once Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) seems to have had an outbreak of it.

“I have also asked OCC to consider further safety measures outside primary schools on the main routes, namely at St Marys, Southam Road, Harriers on the Bloxham Road and Queensway on Queensway itself.”