Calls for East Sussex County council to review speed limits policy not supported

The motion, which is set for debate at the authority’s next full council meeting on July 11, comes from Green Party councillors Johnny Denis and Georgia Taylor and calls on the council to review a policy known as PS05/02, which covers how local speed limits are set.

In their motion, the councillors argue that the policy does not appear to reflect government guidance, as, in their view, it puts too much emphasis on financial cost and the ability of speed limits to be self-enforcing.

Notably, the policy has been part of the council’s justification not to support the adoption of a ‘default’ 20mph speed limit on the county’s residential roads, something the Greens have been campaigning for for some time.

In full, the motion calls on the council to commit to carrying out “a full audit of speed limit assessments completed in the last two years” to test compliance with national guidance.

It also calls on the council to update the policy to make “resident experience, quality of life and fear of speeds” explicit criteria for setting speed limits within the county.

Claire Dowling, lead member for transport and environment, who considered the motion at a meeting on Monday (June 26).

Cllr Denis said: “This is about whether or not we take into account community and environmental outcomes, as well as all the other things we normally take into account. I think we don’t do that and our policy would benefit from that revision.”

Officers took a different view, however, saying the policy does comply with the latest government guidance and best practice.

They were also keen to stress that the policy is not the sole factor at play when the council makes decisions about speed limits. As part of this, officers said the policy was more about setting out how effective speed limits are achieved, rather than deciding where they will be implemented.

Cllr Dowling shared the officers’ view and confirmed that she will recommend other councillors to vote against the motion when it comes to full council next month.