Drivers are being asked to slow down when they travel past Southampton schools following a pledge by the city council to introduce ‘20 is plenty’ signs outside every school gate by March 2008. But could 20 zones be made mandatory?
Update March 25: new mandatory zones won't be introduced - Daily Echo
The scheme is in response to pupils’, parents’ and teachers’ concerns about drivers racing past their school. The new signs, suggesting drivers curb their speed to 20mph, will be put in place from January 2008, with plans to cover all schools in the city by the end of March.
Councillor Gavin Dick, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: “Making sure the roads around Southampton’s schools are as safe as possible is a priority for the council. I hope that drivers will take notice of these signs and slow down.”
Mandatory
Southampton Itchen Labour MP John Denham welcomed the move, but said the signs would not enable police to enforce the 20mph limit: "I would like to see mandatory limits and also enforcement of the waiting restrictions around schools. The City Council sometimes claims that national rules make the introduction of such restrictions very difficult. But I have spoken to transport ministers and this need not be the case. I urge any parent, teacher or school governor who is concerned about road safety around their school to contact me.”
Race track
Phillip Rainger, who lives in Manor Farm Road, told bitternepark.info: "It's about time the speed limit of Manor Farm is changed to 20mph past the school." He said he'd had a cat killed and another injured because the road is like a "race track", with people using it as a cut through. He also asked why cars are always parking on the double yellow lines outside the shops by the old post office, and why nothing is done about this.