Wandsworth council first local council in country to issue speeding fines for drivers breaching 20mph limits Post Reply

[juliantenniscoach]

I think 20mph on residential or roads passing schools or hospitals is fine.  It's arterial roads that are major thoroughfares with wide roads that are galling and make no sense.

[empfindlich]

I understand that the council has not budgeted any income from this initiative. But why shouldn't they keep the fines? Local government is under huge financial pressure. If people don't want the money to go to the council then perhaps not speeding might be the best way!

[iowfan]

It would be good to know what the COST is going to be of installing who knows how many cameras around the Borough, and how it is going to be paid for, especially if the council have not budgeted for additional income from fines (which is pretty hard to believe anyway) ... perhaps the new council have planted some magic money trees??

[Talkman]

“Muddyboots”, having never been a curb (sic) crawler I can’t comment. However, you incorrectly assume I don’t drive. I’ve been riding motorcycles since the late 1970’s and driving all manner of motor vehicles since 1980 so I also have “grandad priveliges” on my licence. Slower is safer as other posters here have remarked.
Should I assume you drive a vehicle with a large capacity engine? A sporty SUV? A growling turbocharged German saloon? Perhaps your timekeeping is poor, so you’re often in a hurry. Maybe you have a MGIF (Must get in front) attitude to driving.
Whatever it is, I’m sure you’ll get the hang of driving at lower speeds with a bit of practice. Stay safe and keep others safe.

[DavidWT]

@chorister

I already said I’m happy to drive 20mph in residential areas especially when I’m worried about children coming out between cars.

It’s the main wide road I have an issue with.
There is a section off the A3 heading toward Wimbledon that’s a wide main road with a whole planted separation before the pavement and it’s 20 mph !! Ridiculous.
And that is my issue…(. On top off buss lanes being taken away off peak

I totally agree with Muddyboots

Where the council should be clamping down on is people exceeding 20mph on narrow residential streets, which, often, only have enough space for one car to travel along due to parked cars on both sides. For obvious safety reasons. The amount of people who drive down my own residential street at 40mph is unbelievable! These people should be hit hard in the pocket / take points and taken off the road.     
But the main roads / arteries throughout London should be kept at 30 and managed that way rather than forcing people to drive even slower on these roads.  
If the council want to make a difference it should be clamping down on motorists who clearly use certain roads as a race track like CC North Side and CC West Side around the Common (for example). I regularly see drivers hitting speeds of over 50 mph along North Side. These roads have high levels of pedestrians quite often as in the case of Northside which have lots of young families walking their children to school on pretty narrow pathways in parts. It's these high-risk areas around our borough that the council needs to focus their attentions on. 
 

[RumourMill]

I think we'll look back at this in a few years to come and view it as similar to the drink driving campaigns in the seventies.

there is no doubt that fatalities drop when we drive at 20mph and almost everyone who is driving doesn't need to get anywhere quickly. 

and then we'll wonder why anyone ever advocated for high speeds!

[delsh]

So glad someone has pointed this out. It’s unbelievable that anyone would put the fact that they “find it hard to drive at 20” above the safety of pedestrians and other more vulnerable road users, and the need to reduce air pollution. The more roads that have a 20mph limit the better as it will mean drivers become more accustomed to driving at 20. And if it needs to be enforced with fines then so be it.

[readysteadycook]

20mph is a very slow speed that’s not suitable for the A and B roads, narrow residential streets it has a place.

this camera initiative is totally wrong and a money making exercise by another anti car #Labour council

what we all need to be more worried about is what’s happening with cameras in Fulham (by another Labour council) - it’s going to have a big impact on Wandworth. Details on the petition :

https://chng.it/4Bt5LqxHzX

please ALL sign this 

 

[RachelK12]

Just more money for the fat cats in WBC.  Where are all the millions that WBC for Parking going???? 

[RumourMill]

It's about saving lives.

literally.

[RumourMill]

This is interesting...

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... 0mph-wales

Massive cost savings and increased health benefits.

Perhaps it should be 15mph?

[dimelda]

Chorister:    re your post on the studies done by the excellent Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, well said.  The benefits (of fewer pedestrians being killed & a reduction in pollution) are most certainly worth it.   But don’t expect the average motorist in this country to understand or even respect that:   no matter what the Royal Soc.says, motorists will just ignore it.  Even knowing that a pedestrian might be killed, he/she selfishly places more importance on their ‘right’ to drive dangerously. 

[readysteadycook]

The camera is still only issuing 'naughty step' letters and no fines so far ...

[readysteadycook]

Get used to it, Wandsworth voted Labour, it's just the thin end of the wedge I fear

Spot on. Labour are good at spending other peoples money - I wonder what went through peoples minds at the ballot box to get revenge on Boris - it will be an expensive vote those people cast, in many ways.

it’s all the 20mph signs that are so unsightly for me (and cost us to put up) 

On the subject of cost, Did you each school street costs between £10,000 and £50,000 to install. Wandsworth have over 20 already and around 20 more of those planned with the help of Cllr Jo Rigby - many of you already have fines from them. Big money for little (or arguably no) benefits. 

 

[Treadlighty]

Seriously, the relative minor cost is completely irrelevant and misguided. If a child is struck by a passing car causing death or injury (this has happened in Wandsworth) it goes without saying that a slight inconvenience is worth paying. Remember that all pedestrians have right of way under the hierarchy of roads users law, cars must yield in all circumstances.