Dear Steve,
Thank you for your reply and I am pleased that you aim, if elected, to get the LCN3 signage corrected prior to the introduction of the Mayor's Cycle Hire Scheme and that you support funding for every child to receive on-road cycle training.
Re making one-way streets two-way for cyclists, can you please tell me why you need to see the results of tests elsewhere when Sancroft Street, Vauxhall Street and Newburn Street within Princes Ward have successfully been two-way for cyclists for a number of years?
Would you not agree that it would be quicker, less stressful and less dangerous to cycle from Gilbert Road along Wincott Street to the post box, if this were allowed, rather than going around to Reedworth Street, turning right onto the four lane A road, then turning right off the four lane A road? Does the same logic not apply to the other examples I quoted?
Re 20mph, the Association of Chief Police Officers say that t he guidance for a 20mph road is to issue a fixed penalty notice for speeds of 25pmh or more and to report for summons at speeds of 35mph or more. www.acpo.police.uk . This can be made a focus of the Safer Neighbourhood Team.
Beyond reducing the number and severity of accidents, a 20mph limit is a significant factor in making active travel, such as cycling, more pleasant with a resulting increase in uptake. Accidents are only part of the health picture. The Government's top health advisor, says cycling must be increased eightfold to combat the public health crisis caused by designing cities around motor vehicles On the state of public health: Annual report of the Chief Medical Officer 2009 (March 2010)
I would draw your attention to the April 2009 London Assembly report 'Braking Point: 20mph speed limits in London' which stated:
"The report found that in areas of London where 20mph zones have been introduced by boroughs and Transport for London (TfL), there has been a 42 per cent reduction in casualties. The report concludes that implementing a borough-wide default 20mph limit all at once may prevent more casualties and prove more cost-effective than the current piecemeal approach of introducing individual zones."
I hope that you or one of your Princes Ward colleagues will be able to attend the Herne Hill hustings on 22nd April which will have a special presentation by the 20's Plenty For Us campaign. It will highlight the issues about speeding traffic in residential roads and what has been achieved elsewhere to reduce this problem.
Published details of the hustings are at:
http://www.hernehillforum.org.uk/forum_public_meeting
I look forward to hearing from you,
Yours sincerely
Charlie Holland
