20mph Signs Alone Are Not Effective in Improving Schoolchildren Safety

Published on: 17 Mar, 2019
Updated on: 18 Mar, 2019

By Rebecca Curley (local democracy reporter) and Martin Giles

Putting up 20mph speed limit signs outside schools without any extra traffic-calming measures does not work to slow drivers down, a councillor has warned.

A pilot study involving three schools in Mole Valley has shown the signs alone are not effective.

But the signs and a reduced speed limit is popular among parents and residents in Surrey.

There is one live petition for reduced limits in Ewell Village on Surrey County Council’s website and residents often use open forum question times at local and joint committees to request the reduced speed outside schools.

In order to have an impact on driver behaviour and make it safer there needs to be “complex and extensive” engineering work as well as the signs, a meeting was told.

Cllr Clare Curran made reference to the pilot study this week at Surrey County Council and Mole Valley District Council Local Committee on Wednesday (March 13).

Her comments came after a resident asked for more 20mph signs outside schools in the area.

Cllr Curran said: “My recollection is that while they had an immediate moderate impact on reducing driver behaviour, over the period of time that really disappeared and just having advisory 20mph limit signs just outside schools, albeit with flashing lights, really didn’t influence any driver behaviour and the environment around the schools and was not shown to be any safer for children.”

She said what they have had to do is to allocate additional funding to pay for “quite complex and extensive” engineering work to have any “measurable impact” on safety.

Cllr Curran added: “Those pilot exercises were really revealing and showed us that just having 20mph signs outside schools isn’t enough to make any impact really that has lasting benefits for pedestrians and children and those advisory signs on their own are insufficient.”

Her views were echoed by SCC highways officer Zena Curry who said: “For a 20mph speed limit to be successful it really does need supporting engineering measures and those are quite expensive. It isn’t just enough to put up signs.”

Cllr Matt Furniss

Matt Furniss, Conservative county councillor (Shalford) for highways and lead councillor for infrastructure at GBC commented: “Surrey County Council is very sympathetic to concerns over speeding, dangerous and inconsiderate driving behaviour near schools.

“Thankfully, there does not tend to be very many injuries near schools and we work hard with schools to continue to promote road safety with children and drivers.

“However, the fear of road danger can be a very real barrier to encouraging more walking, cycling or scooting. This can lead to more congestion that can increase journey times, and worsen air quality.

“Surrey County Council has a “Road Safety Outside Schools” policy which sets out a process for investigating the problems and fear of road danger outside schools.

“In many cases, problems can be associated with the difficulties of finding suitable locations to cross the road, or inconsiderate parking blocking footways and crossing points.”

Cllr David Goodwin

Lib Dem county councillor, David Goodwin (Guildford South West) and borough councillor for Onslow, said: “From experience, 20mph signage is most effective when it is part of a wider speed controlled zone. An example of this is the 20mph zone which incorporates Wherwell & Testard Roads, Wodeland Avenue and Nethermount near the town centre.

“These zones do have a better impact with additional measures, which are not always expensive to install, as claimed, such as speed humps and pavement build-outs with bollards which can be seen outside Queen Eleanor’s School in Onslow ward.

“Safety is important around our schools, but so is air quality. We should be looking at all options holistically by working together with residents, schools and businesses to address problem parking, creating ‘neighbourhood zones’ with improved air quality and 20mph limits and speed measures on residential streets. We cannot succeed if we do each of these in isolation.”

Cllr Furniss added: “Any request for a 20mph review will be considered by Surrey County Council, however, these issues will not be solved simply by a lower speed limit, instead a range of different measures can be proposed to resolve the issue.

“The process includes an audit of what the school are doing to encourage safe and sustainable travel and can result in taking up more of the services we offer such as pedestrian training, cycle training or the Golden Boot Challenge, an interclass competition to promote sustainable travel to school.”

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