Report Reference: 4.1 Regulatory and Other Committee
Open Report on behalf of Paul Coathup, Assistant Director, Highways & Transportation
Report to: Planning & Regulation Committee Date: 16 July 2012 Proposed Speed Limit Reductions - B1188 between Subject: Branston and Ruskington KeyDecision decision? Reference: No Summary: The purpose of the Report is for Councillors to consider the responses to the statutory consultations and give their approval for the Proposed Speed Limit Reductions on the B1188 between Branston and Ruskington (as part of Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership's Red Route initiative), to be publicly advertised as part of the required Traffic Regulation Order process.
Recommendation(s): It is recommended, following the mostly positive response to the consultations, that those objections received be overruled. The exception being, that in the case of the objection received from Branston and Mere Parish Council, this is upheld and their suggestion that the 60mph limit on the B1188 between Branston and Canwick be reduced to 50mph is included when the proposals are publicly advertised.
Background
1. The B1188 is one of the twelve Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership’s ‘Road Safety Red Routes’ (RSRR), identified as having a high Killed or Seriously Injured (KSI) casualty rate in the County. Whilst the other RSRRs have seen reductions of almost 50% in KSI casualties and 23% in Slight Injuries, following implementation of various engineering measures and education / publicity initiatives, the B1188 has not. The KSI levels have stayed the same and Slight Injury numbers have increased.
2. Some minor improvements have been carried out at specific sites along the route with varying success. There is little scope for further casualty reduction measures except lowering the speed limit, which the Road Safety Partnership is now proposing for this route.
3. This type of measure was introduced very successfully in 2008, on the A52 between Boston and Skegness which is similar, in its poor alignment and sporadic development, to the B1188. This has seen a reduction in casualties
Page 1 (over a three year ‘before and after’ study) of 48% in KSI collisions and 21% in Slight Injury collisions. Fatal Collisions dropped from six in three years to just one since.
4. On the sections of the B1188 that would change from the National Speed Limit to 50mph, there were four Fatal and nine Serious Injury Collisions in the period 1 January 1999 to 31 December 2011. If the success of the A52 scheme could be achieved, then it is estimated that these measures could save one Fatal and three Serious collisions per year.
5. It is also proposed, as part of this scheme, to reduce the current 50mph limit at Metheringham to 40mph following a separate speed limit review recently undertaken on all A and B roads within the County.
6. The plan at Appendix A shows the proposed Speed Limit Alterations and Appendix B lists the proposed changes.
Consultations
7. As required as part of the process for introducing new Speed Limits, the statutory consultations with local Councillors, the statutory bodies, local bus operators and Parish Councils have been carried out in advance of publicly advertising the proposals.
8. These consultations were carried out between 14 May and 22June 2012. No responses have been received from North Kesteven District Council, Freight Transport Association, Road Haulage Association, Brylaine Travel Limited, PC Coaches of Lincoln Limited, Stagecoach in Lincolnshire and TransLinc.
9. County Councillors Mrs M Overton and Mrs P Bradwell are supportive of the proposals. A response has not been received from County Councillor E Bauer.
10. Lincolnshire Police and Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership have no objections to the proposals.
11. North Kesteven District Councillor Ian Carrington has responded objecting to the proposals in that he does not feel the data and information provided is enough to justify that the 60mph (National Speed Limit for single carriageway roads) be reduced to 50mph, but would like to see the limits reduced in Digby, Scopwick and Blankney. He also has concerns that the proposed reductions in limits would not be properly enforced. In addition he requests that the consultations be sent to a wider number of Parishes.
12. The consultation letters were sent to twelve Parishes along the route of the proposals.
13. No responses have been received from the following Parishes: Ashby de la Launde; Dunston; Rowston and Dorrington.
Page 2 14. The following Parishes have responded:-
- Blankney – support the proposals.
- Branston – the Parish object to the proposals as they feel that the stretch of the B1188 that carries the heaviest volume of traffic, between Canwick and Branston, has been left out of the proposals. If the proposals were to go ahead, this would be the only section (just one mile long) on the whole length of the road from Lincoln to Ruskington that would not have a speed limit of 50mph or less. (Plan at Appendix C shows the section of road being referred to). The Parish have confirmed that they would support an amended scheme.
- Digby – the Parish Council meets on the 28 June 2012 and their views will be reported verbally to the meeting.
- Metheringham – are in full agreement with the proposals.
- Nocton – are supportive of the proposals but comment that there will still be impatient drivers attempting to overtake slower moving traffic. However, the benefits of the lower speed limit outweigh the risk of impatient drivers.
- Potterhanworth - the Parish Council meets on the 25 June 2012 and their views will be reported verbally to the meeting.
- Scopwick – unanimously support the proposals, but have asked the question why the limit has not been reduced from 50mph to 40mph through the villages of Digby and Dorrington. As in both cases they have houses / business adjacent to the road and junctions within the village with the main road.
- Ruskington – are against the proposals and do not wish to see any changes to the existing limits.
15. This is the first part of the statutory consultation process for introducing new speed limits. Following the outcome of this meeting, if agreement to proceed is given, the proposals will be publicly advertised and at this stage formal objections can be submitted by members of the public and consultees (including those previously consulted).
Conclusion
16. As can be seen from the above responses, there is general support for the proposed reductions in speed limits, and the broad collision / casualty data provided, confirms the need for action to be taken.
17. Concerns have been raised over levels of enforcement of the proposed new limits. Lincolnshire Police have not made any comments about enforcement
Page 3 issues during the consultations and they are partners in the 'Road Safety Red Routes' Initiatives.
18. In relation to the objection from Branston and Mere Parish Council seeking a reduction to a 50mph speed limit between Canwick and Branston, this part of the B1188 is the start of the Red Route on leaving Lincoln and has in the past been targeted with various speed reduction measures, including mobile cameras, vehicle activated signs and other works which indicates that there is a problem with speed. Although this section was initially left out due to a lower level of recorded accidents, it is considered that it would be appropriate to include the reduction of the speed limit along this part from 60mph to 50mph.
19. Scopwick Parish Council, whilst giving their support for the proposed measures, asked why the 50mph limits in Digby and Dorrington were not being reduced to 40mph like Metheringham. These proposals were drawn up primarily as part of the Road Safety Red Routes scheme to reduce accidents, it has however, coincided with the County Council's Speed Limit Review, which is currently ongoing. In carrying out this Review it was found that a reduction in the speed limit at Metheringham from the current 50mph to 40mph was justified. This was not the case with the section of 50mph limits that run through Digby and Dorrington.
20. As part of the planned works for the scheme, the existing 50mph signs at the villages of Digby and Dorrington will be enhanced and speed limit roundels on red backgrounds will be marked on the roads to help emphasise the limits that are in operation.
21. Concerns were raised that more Parish Councils should have been consulted. In the first part of the process only the Parish Councils directly affected are consulted. Neighbouring Councils will have an opportunity to make their views known when the proposals are publicly advertised.
Consultation
a) Policy Proofing Actions Required n/a
Appendices
These are listed below and attached at the back of the report Appendix A Plan showing Proposed Speed Limit alterations. Appendix B List of Proposed Alterations to Speed Limits. Appendix C Plan showing the the Existing 60mph Limit between Canwick and Branston
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Background Papers
The following background papers as defined in the Local Government Act 1972 were relied upon in the writing of this report.
Document title Where the document can be viewed No background papers within Section 100D of the Local Government Act 1972 were used in the preparation of this Report.
This report was written by Martin Hollingsworth, Senior Highways Officer, who can be contacted on 01522 782070 or [email protected].
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