Is Twenty Plenty?
Stow-cum-Quy Parish Council is launching a questionnaire to gauge residents’ support for introducing 20mph zones in Stow-cum-Quy and applying for funding from Cambridgeshire County Council. We are asking about a range of options for which roads within the village should be included in our application. To complete our questionnaire and let us know your views, please CLICK HERE.

If you would prefer to complete a paper copy of the survey it can be obtained from the post office and you can return it to them, or to 23 Orchard Street. It must be completed and returned by Friday 8th March 2024.

Why 20mph?
Introducing a 20 mph speed limit on our roads has a range of anticipated benefits, including:

  • making streets safer by reducing speeds and enabling a more equitable use of the road space for all users (vulnerable road users, sustainable transport, businesses, and car users). It’s been shown that you are seven times more likely to survive if you are hit by a car driving at 20mph, than if you are hit at 30mph. If a child suddenly steps in front of a car, you are much less likely to seriously injure or kill them if you keep to a 20mph limit.
  • encouraging residents to walk or cycle by reducing speeds
  • reducing noise and pollution by amending the way vehicles accelerate/decelerate and encouraging smoother driving styles

Where would 20mph speed limit zones be implemented?

Through the questionnaire, we hope to understand whether you would support a village-wide 20mph zone, or think we should focus on specific streets in the village.

How would a 20mph be implemented?
Signs and lines will be installed in line with current traffic and road safety manuals. If a new area is changing to 20mph local residents will be informed in advance. Signs will mark the entrance and exits of a 20mph area where the speed limit changes. Smaller repeat signs or on road markings will supplement these signs.

Funding opportunities
Cambridgeshire County Council have created an annual 20mph funding programme to install either 20mph zones or limits countywide. This is open to town and parish councils. Once an application has been submitted, it will be prioritised and scored by officers. This will produce a long list which will then be worked through until all the schemes applied for have been delivered. As the scheme is highly competitive, there is no guarantee of an application being successful. The more support we can demonstrate from residents, the greater the chance we have of being successful in our application.

The general list given by the County Council of examples which might justify a lower speed limit include:

  • evidence of traffic incidents or potential dangers within an existing 30/40mph
  • vulnerable road users e.g. pedestrians (of all ability), cyclists, equestrian users and motorcyclists
  • visible homes, shops, and business frontages
  • a school or a school route
  • a cycling route
  • a quiet lane designation
  • an area that would benefit from more active travel such as cycling and walking

Process
Our questionnaire will be available from Sunday 11th February to Friday 8th March 2024. Members of the Parish Council will then analyse the data and, if supported, prepare a proposal for submission by the application deadline of 15th March 2024. The County Council’s prioritisation process is scheduled to take place between April and June 2024. If successful, we anticipate working on detailed design and a formal consultation in late 2024 for implementation in late 2024 or early 2025.

TO COMPLETE OUR QUESTIONNAIRE, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Information from Cambridgeshire County Council
To view more information on Cambridgeshire District Council 20mph Funding and the Scoring Matrix for submissions from Parish Councils, please click here
Note: CCC Application window closes – at 5pm on Friday 15th March 2024