Anger as Shropshire Council rejects plans for blanket 20mph speed limit on residential roads

A motion was tabled at a full meeting of the council on December 19, calling on the authority to adopt the policy.

The motion, proposed by the Liberal Democrat group, was defeated despite members voting through a separate motion to implement 20mph zones around all schools in the county.

Councillor Andy Boddington, who led the motion on behalf of the Liberal Democrat group, said afterwards: "I would have expected to win this motion.

"It is common sense and promotes many of the council’s policies. But the political flaws in local government meant the motion was defeated.

"This is life in Shropshire Council. We take a small step forward but cannot manage a big leap on anything. That’s a failure of leadership.

"The council has policies to build a new bypass for Shrewsbury – the North West Relief Road – and the leader wants to extend the M54 to Shrewsbury.

"But it has no vision for active travel, for walking and cycling. For bringing calm to our residential streets. For making tranquillity normal.

"We all own our streets. Citizens should be able to enjoy being out and about without being relegated to second class status by cars and vans hell bent on getting somewhere else."

Professor John Whitelegg, from the Shropshire-wide 20's Plenty Campaign, said: "This rejection accepts a totally unacceptable level of risk in the road traffic environment and one that abandons the basic principles of child protection.

'Astonishing'

"20 mph on residential roads is now widely accepted and is in place in more than 50 councils to the benefit of 15 million residents. 20 mph is supported by all major public bodies and public health professionals."

The South Shropshire Green Party said the move was a "failure" on the council's part to improve the safety of county residents.

Hilary Wendt, party coordinator, said: "The rejection of 20 mph by a majority of Shropshire's Councillors is a major failure of public policy that deprives Shropshire’s pedestrians and cyclists of a huge increase in safety by reducing the risk of collision and reducing the risk of severe injury if an accident does occur.

"Additionally adopting 20mph limits is a major public health intervention that increases walking and cycling and is recommended by the World Health Organisation as a 'must-do' intervention to reduce obesity, cardio-vascular disease and diabetes.

"20 mph has further health benefits through reducing air pollution and carbon emissions, along with loneliness via the greater possibilities for social interaction."

Ms Wendt said a recent poll conducted by the party found 91 per cent of Church Stretton residents in favour of the policy, and 87 per cent in Craven Arms.

She added: "We suggest that Shropshire Councillors who voted against this proposal have no logical or evidence-based argument in support of this rejection.

"It is astonishing that a group of councillors would reject the clear advice of the World Health Organisation and a Royal College, and the Children's Commissioner.

"We ask councillors who voted against this proposal a very simple question – why do you choose to ignore the wishes of Shropshire's residents and impose a much higher risk of death and injury on children and adults than we know we can achieve?"