Author Topic: Enforcement of speed limits for motors  (Read 1642 times)

Enforcement of speed limits for motors
« on: 06 July, 2020, 04:32:46 pm »
We've seen from the recent changes in traffic on the road how a reduction in the numbers of motors encourages more people to cycle. That's all well and good but we've also noticed that fewer motors on the road has resulted in a minority of drivers going much too fast.

According to the 20s Plenty Campaign, the Police have the power to authorise and Local Authorities have the existing power to undertake public prosecution for speeding offences. See

http://www.20splenty.org/how_las_can_enforce

According to this analysis if 'Inhabitants' want these speeders the council can help out a willing police force. Why has no council given it a try?

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Enforcement of speed limits for motors
« Reply #1 on: 06 July, 2020, 04:36:05 pm »
Austerity, I’d imagine.

Ask your PCC what his/her view is?
It is simpler than it looks.

Fennec

Re: Enforcement of speed limits for motors
« Reply #2 on: 06 July, 2020, 05:14:16 pm »
Austerity

... is correct. Most local authorities are struggling to deliver the services they are legally required to, especially at the moment. Even if the legal framework and political will are there to do the ‘nice to have’ stuff, the resources aren’t.

If the police aren’t able to make prosecuting speeding motorists a priority, I don’t know why anyone would think that local councils would be.

Re: Enforcement of speed limits for motors
« Reply #3 on: 06 July, 2020, 07:53:45 pm »
So the fines go to the exchequer, just as they would if the police took the lead. Is there a way to make the offence a breach of a bylaw so the funds would go to the council and be self-funding?

Re: Enforcement of speed limits for motors
« Reply #4 on: 06 July, 2020, 10:21:11 pm »
Why has no council given it a try?
Councils have spent billions of pounds over many decades facilitating motorisation, perhaps they only ever implemented 20 mph speed limits to pay lip service to the principle n the hope and expectation that they would never actually be enforced.
Scottish councils can charge a workplace parking levy, and English councils can now impose fines for parking in cycle lanes but do any of them actually bother despite having spent over a decade complaining that they don’t have enough money?

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Enforcement of speed limits for motors
« Reply #5 on: 06 July, 2020, 11:09:49 pm »
So the fines go to the exchequer, just as they would if the police took the lead. Is there a way to make the offence a breach of a bylaw so the funds would go to the council and be self-funding?

Yes. Like I said, ask your PCC.

We have funded two SIDs (Speed indicator devices) from fines gathered from speeding motorists on the nearby motorway. All sorted by our PCC.
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Enforcement of speed limits for motors
« Reply #6 on: 07 July, 2020, 11:37:16 am »
There's also local inertia to get over.

The village next to ours complains about speeding despite having a 20 zone in the middle of it, at parish council meetings they discuss how they have been out with the community speed gun and people are still speeding and what should they do about these "youths" speeding through the village.

Given the village already has a major pinch point that reduces the traffic to one lane, I suggest why not a few speed bumps or a chicane or two. Oh no they say that won't work here.

It's because the worst speeders are the locals who also complain about the other people speeding, they want to have a moan but don't want to do anything about it.
Somewhat of a professional tea drinker.