Councillor Catherine Smart answers a request for more information.

Exactly how much to put in a leaflet is always a balance. Some people want all the details but most will be put off by close lines and small print.

Recently I was asked to justify a claim made in a leaflet about fighting for better enforcement of speed limits. For other people interested – this is my reply.

Recently I have done two things to try and bring speeds down.

At the last Area Committee when the Police came to discuss priorities, I urged that enforcing speed limits should be one of their priorities and, I am glad to say, I won the day.  I was particularly keen to have it up front because the 20 mph signs had just gone up in most of the residential streets in the eastern part of the city.

The other thing I have done, with my Lib Dem colleagues on the City Council, is to put in our alternative budget a bid for money to buy a couple of the light-weight speed “guns” that residents groups etc can use.  The thinking behind this was that we know the Police can only spend limited time on speed enforcement, but if residents groups have identified the “hot spots” by using the “guns”, police time can be really well spent.  I am glad to say that the Labour ruling group accepted our suggestion and it will be going forward.

Further back, it was while the Lib Dems were in control of the City Council, that the policy was agreed to have 20 mph in all except the major, numbered, roads.  When the Labour group took control, they continued with the policy – but not with the speed we would have favoured.

Coldhams Lane is as exception as it is a residential road but still 30 mph. This is because, when we were consulting on the 20 mph, the majority of residents did not want it.

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