Slower already...

On Thursday, July 11 at 10.05am, I left York to go to Leeds, via the A19 Fulford Road. I joined at the junction with Cemetery Road; I was in the flow of traffic and my speed did not exceed 15mph; the only time I was stationary was at the lights at Hospital Fields. By the time I had reached Broadway, I had passed 174 vehicles coming into York, all doing approximately 15mph, with a similar number leaving at the same time.

So in that ten-minute period over half a mile there were 348 vehicles. The road is divided into cycle lanes, bus lanes, chicanes, and normal carriageway. I also counted the cycles in both directions: there were three.

My point: 348 vehicles had use of 60 per cent of the available road space; one cycle had 40 per cent of available space; is that good logic? The flow and speed of the traffic was self-governing, well within the permitted legal requirement; without the hideous road markings this traffic would have moved more smoothly and still within the legal requirements.

Pat Graves, Heworth, York.

So Coun Anna Semlyen can speculate that 20mph zones are good for us despite them having been overwhelming rejected by the residents of Acomb, Woodthorpe, etc in a ballot which Coun Dave Merrett now says is not an opinion poll.

Err... so what was it? This reminds me of the days of Communist USSR where “opinion polls” always reflected the views of the leadership.

This also reminds me of an earlier Labour adminstration who insisted on placing speed bumps outside schools.

Again a ‘survey’ was held. I pointed out that in my locality because of cars doing the school run blocking one lane and in any year they would be partially effective for only 0.07 per cent of the year. Yet the council still went ahead and Rawcliffe Drive is now a pot-hole misery – and what has been their benefit? Nil!

Is the current administration unable to admit that it has misjudged public sentiment?

Neil Raw, Oriel Grove, Clifton Without, York.

• So the York Labour party have finally approved the 20mph blanket zone across the west of York – despite the fact that most residents do not want it.

According to Coun Dave Merrett, the council has a mandate to do this because it was in the manifesto at the last local election, which means that everybody who voted Labour supports the scheme.

Notwithstanding this, I have a question for Coun Merrett. We are living in a time of austerity when the Government is desperately trying to reduce the massive debt left by the last Labour Government and is also encourage local councils to alleviate the strain on family budgets by freezing council tax levels.

Against this backdrop how does the York Labour party justify the expense of a consultation on the proposed 20mph scheme and then, when most people vote against it (including 248 who signed an online petition), they tell us that this was never an opinion poll and they were going to go ahead regardless of what the people want?

Tony Taylor, Grassholme, Woodthorpe, York.

• THE many letters about “20’s plenty” show the strength of feeling against what the council is trying to do. I feel the limit should be confined to areas of danger such as accident black-spots and schools.

The lone voice from Coun Anna Semlyen condoning this decision in the flurry of letters against (Letters, July 20) cites the likes of many towns and cities adopting the 20mph zone, but fails to mention many of these are not citywide. Also mentioned is “much of northern Europe”, but I have travelled widely and would challenge the idea from personal experience. Her letter goes on to say that driving a little slower does not affect journey times – funnily enough, whenever I have gone slower (by cycle, scooter, car or on foot) I have arrived a little later.

Her real misconception is that pollution and use of fuel reduce. This is nonsense. As many letter writers have pointed out, today’s vehicles are geared to fuel economy on open roads and driving at 20mph actually increases consumption. The crowning piece comes with “slower speeds are popular with 72 per cent of people”. Judging by the many letters, articles and leader columns published in The Press, this is wrong.

Bob Redwood Main Street, Askham Bryan, York.

• IN reply to Coun Anna Semlyen

(a) “Driving a little slower on residential roads does not increase journey times”?? This must mean driving faster on other roads to catch up.

(b) “Pollution and fuel use reduce”. Both untrue: sub-20pmh travel causes more pollution and uses more fuel.

(c) “Footfall is good for local business”. Not if you have to carry heavy/bulky shopping to and from bus stops. I have a bus pass, but I visit out-of-town stores instead.

(d) “The policy will pay for itself”. How?

Perhaps a small percentage of frustrated drivers will walk, cycle or take the Park and Ride into York, but the vast majority will take their custom elsewhere – retail parks, other more welcoming towns, or online shopping.

Does she want York itself to become just a museum for tourists?

Mrs G Page, Gale Lane, Acomb, York.