Redbridge has told residents it wants to make all Wanstead streets 20mph zones, in line with many other London boroughs.
The proposal has an inevitability about it – the case made for reducing accidents is a strong one, however much motorists might get frustrated by the limits.
While most of the roads in the new zone are residential streets, the limit will be felt more on more major roads like New Wanstead, Hermon Hill/Chigwell Road and the High Street.
But some Hermon Hill residents will be among those cheering the proposal most loudly – we have documented a number of serious prangs in the past few years where cars have gone off the road, most recently this.
The proposal includes speed humps on Hollybush Hill, Spratt Hall Road, Nutter Lane, Rutland Road, Grove Park, and Elmcroft Avenue, and speed cushions on Chigwell Road, Hermon Hill and New Wanstead.
Wansteadium’s only thoughts are – whether this is a real consultation at all, and whether the decision has actually been made. And secondly, well even if it has, it’s nice to be asked. We’re not always extended that courtesy. The consultation is online here.
I’d be grateful to travel as fast as 20 MPH on most of the main roads. In rush hour you are lucky if you can reach 10 MPH
Over the years I have lived on New Wanstead I’ve witnessed and experienced numerous incidents of speeding traffic. It is a residential road, there are lots of parked cars so vision is not always clear, as a pedestrian you need to be fast on your feet to cross the road, which many people aren’t. The saddest thing was watching an ambulance crew trying to save a young off duty policeman who had been knocked off his motorbike – they kept going for a good 45 minutes but he didn’t make it. I so hope we do get the 20mph limit, it is definitely needed.
This is great news for the residential roads (apart from the speed cushions). I doubt that there are many opportunities to reach 20mph on the High Street, but cars are frequently going at crazy speeds on the side roads.
Perfection would be stopping some of the rat-running – like Woodbine Place/Spratt Hall Road.
The reckless drivers that speed in 30mph zones are just as likely to speed in 20mph zones.
However, the average speed across London is less than 15mph. Often cited as the most congested city in Europe..
The 20 mph zone proposal reeks of narrow, one-dimensional thinking. Further, Redbridge’s stats are dubious. The cited fatality happened on the A12, outside the Nightingale Village zone, and the rest of the stats lump Wanstead as a whole, not the targeted area. Further, there is no detail on whether the vehicles involved in any collisions were travelling over the speed limit or were down to careless driving. None of which are fixed by a 20 mph zone.
Worse, they ignore studies that show the real downsides of 20mph zones
– Delayed prescription deliveries to the elderly and sick
– Fewer district nurse visits increasing costs in an area where there are already shortages of nurses
– Higher delivery and minicab costs, longer bus journeys
– Reduced high street trade
– Longer ambulance and fire response times-potentially 10% worse in some cases.
Imagine an ambulance delayed a minute whilst your loved one is dying. These impacts matter, just as much as road safety concerns. I see none of these addressed in the proposal.
The recent parking changes on Grove Park and Grosvenor Road have removed most parked cars turning the streets into race tracks. The rule of unintended consequences.
Great news
I wonder what the thinking is behind putting speed bumps on Nutter Lane. Speeding is hardly ever a problem on that road. ♀️
I’m ok with the speed limit being reduced to 20mph.
But I would appreciate well constructed speed humps/pillows that don’t feel like you’re hitting a curb as you drive over them.
Redbridge, please employ whoever will do the work best, not cheapest.
Limits are meaningless without enforcement. The new limits are welcome as ling as there’s enforcement to actually stop people speeding.
more sleeping policemen = more Chelsea tractors (and pollution).
I dont believe safety is the motivation. more revenue from fines.
Fine by me. Reduced speeds, collisions less likely to kill and more money for our area by people who don’t think the rules apply to them.