Thanks for this opportuntiy admin. I was very involved in the campaign to get a speed limit and weight restriction on Church Lane. Despite signage - inadequate - we still get several 7.5 tonners a day up the road and we had a ten ton crane up there recently that was too wide for the road. I've had some success calling the owners of the trucks and explaining the problem, and lots, like Crowfoots, have taken it on board and instructed their drivers to go up Stockport Rd and right into Hibbert Lane. The one company I had serious problems with was the company that runs the yellow school buses- Stagecoach? - who instructed their drivers not to talk to me if I flagged them down - which I always do if I can. The police sorted them out.
As a result of our campaign the Lib Dem Council and ACM - that rather raucous one involving the reversal of direction at the car park behind the Carver which demonstrated that the councillors were very unused to dealing with concerned crowds of 250 people - agreed a speed limit of 20mph but they didn't have the £6k to implement it - it was to be bounded by Cross Lane., Buxton Lane, Hibbert Lane and Stockport Rd. I've asked Kenny Blair to chase it several times but he has failed to get back to me.
If I get elected I will press for a 20mph limit across Marple with the exception of Stockport Rd which has enough traffic lights to slow stuff down except at night. The 20mph limit in residential areas is very common now in London, and Manchester adopted a policy in 2012 of rolling them out as an experiment across Gorton, Miles Platting, Newton Heath, Moss Side and Fallowfield. There's an evaluation from late last year which shows a reduction in casualties, and that they are starting 'sense of place' evaluation on the local communities. I've put a link at the bottom of the post. Policing the limit is done by random checks - as anyone driving along the Hyde road into Gorton knows only too well - and they're very effective. The 'sense of place' idea is to check that residents support and feel ownership of the limit, and will try to enforce it socially. They havve a poster people can download, print and put in their windows. Link also below.
I am currently thoroughly against speed bumps because (a) they don't work , they merely encourage drivers to develop strategies to supervene them, (b) they cause pollution (c) they can damage your car if it's an unfamiliar road. I am thoroughly in favour of cameras, random police checks and residents support. I have thought for some time it would be useful to have a speed camera app on your iphone. I am,however, committed to evidence based policy, and if the evidence overall is that speed bumps are the most economical and effective way of reducing speed allowing for a full costing of their disadvantages, I will support them. But I have seen no research that supports this.
www.manchester.gov.uk/.../id/.../16_evaluation_of_phase_1_of_20mph_speed_limitshttp://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/200082/road_safety_advice/2132/speed_limits/1