24.11.13

(left, Cllr Pat Mason, Transport spokesperson)

Despite the Royal Borough’s efforts over many years to make its busy roads safer, statistics show that pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists still make up the bulk of deaths and serious injuries, with too many elderly and vulnerable people mown down by speeding traffic on a regular basis.

The Council has so far refused to implement 20mph speed limits across the Borough saying that better junction design, educating road users, and school cycle training is enough to reach their 40% casualty reduction target by 2020. But with RBKC and London traffic levels increasing some 5% a year, and car and lorry drivers becoming more intolerant as congestion levels rise, it’s clear that the present strategy is failing. Labour Councillors believe the Council should add 20mph limits to its toolkit because slower speeds will reduce deaths and injuries and create a safer, more pleasant local environment for residents, workers and visitors.

Labour Group transport spokesperson Cllr Pat Mason said, “The elderly, people with disabilities, children and cyclists are most at risk of death and injury in their own neighbourhood or when they go shopping, and if using 20mph zones helps to reduce the carnage and pain for the victim’s families, then we should do it?”.