A temporary 20mph speed limit looks likely to remain in a York village after a public meeting on Monday.
The speed trial was introduced in Bishopthorpe last year by the City of York Council, in response to requests from residents.
The trial is currently half way through, and the idea of a permanent speed limit will be decided once it’s complete.
Bishopthorpe Ward. Photograph: Supplied
The Bishopthorpe ward councillor, Michael Nicholls, put forward the idea following his election this year.
He told YorkMix, “just before I was elected, they put the notices to say they were bringing in 20mph on some roads. I thought it was stupid basically, the village would be covered in 20s and 30s.
“So when I got elected, I suggested that we do the whole village and just see how it goes. The council agreed it made more sense than just doing some roads, and it was given a long year trial.”
Mr Nicholls hosted a meeting in Bishopthorpe on Monday evening (11 November), joined by City of York Council transport lead Cllr Kate Ravilious.
The meeting welcomed around 100 residents, who put forward their opinions and suggestions after 6 months of living the trial.
Mr Nicholls said the meeting went well, and the general consensus of the meeting and the feedback he has received via email was in favour of introducing the 20mph permanently.
He, however, understands tweaks have to be made to specific areas for it to run efficiently.
Based on public suggestions, he will be asking that the council will be looking at lifting the 20mph on the Appleton Road hill, as people have complained it’s too steep to go up slowly, particularly in tractors.
They will also focus on the Bishopthorpe Road entrance to the village and potentially increase the limit to 30mph.
“You know I’m not going to deny it, when you come in along Bishopthorpe Road, you go past the crematorium and you hit the 20mph, it is a long way out from the village itself and there’s a tendency sometimes to coast down to 20 before reaching houses.” Mr Nicholls added.
Once the trial is complete in 2025, the Council will weigh up statistics and opinions to decide whether it’s beneficial for Bishopthorpe to remain a 20mph zone.
The measures will include an analysis on whether the speed around the village has decreased, and a potential ballot system for Bishopthorpe residents.
Mr Nicholls told YorkMix: “The black and white measure is, has the speed gotten less? I’ve always said from the outset that we need to know how villagers feel, not just whether the traffic has slowed down or not?
“Do people feel like I feel the traffic is slower, or feel more confident crossing the road and walking children to school in the morning and collecting them. So there’s a feeling.”
Until the completion of the trial, it will continue to be surveiled throughout the village, and other measures to monitor speeding may also be introduced.
“I spoke to Kate and we’re going to look at supporting, not the police, but a volunteer speed watch team in the village. At the minute, they restricted to a handful of roads, so let them have more roads that they can, as volunteers, speed watch.
“People will get a letter, they won’t get fined, but it just might help people to slow down a bit.” He added.
If you have any queries or suggestions, you can get in touch with Michael Nicholls on [email protected].