A campaign group pressuring for a blanket 20mph limit across the towns and villages of England’s largest county has been accused of using misleading and ruthless tactics and of being blindly ideological.
North Yorkshire’s transport chief Councillor Keane Duncan said 20’s Plenty was demanding a default 20mph limit trial be agreed before the council has fully considered key issues such as enforcement, value for money and road safety.
The county council’s executive member for highways and transport was speaking ahead of a meeting on Friday which will consider a notice of motion put forward by opposition members of the Tory-run authority to extend a proposed default 20mph zone pilot scheme to the largely rural 825sq mile Thirsk and Malton constituency.
The council is examining a proposal to trial a blanket 20mph zone in built up areas around Harrogate, but its leaders have warned introducing it would cost about £1m and impact on its ability to fund road repairs across the county.
Campaigners, including councillors who are supporting 20s Plenty, have repeatedly accused the authority of ignoring the wishes of communities and failing to consider the wider economic and social impact of speeding in built up areas, such as the cost to the NHS.Earlier this month 20’s Plenty issued a statement saying elected representatives of an estimated 53 per cent of North Yorkshire residents had passed motions supporting its campaign.The campaign group stated recent surveys, such as ones undertaken by Brompton Town Council and 20’s Plenty for Helmsley, showed more than 90 per cent support amongst residents.
In response, Coun Duncan said the council’s latest detailed examination of speeding concerns was “being undermined by 20’s Plenty campaigners demanding his review be cut short prematurely”.
He said 20’s Plenty were exaggerating levels of public support, and motions such as one due to be considered by the council’s the Thirsk and Malton Constituency Committee were creating confusion due to unclear language.
He said: “20’s Plenty appear blindly ideological with just one aim and objective – 20mph as the default limit in every town and every village in North Yorkshire.
“This is a one-size-fits-all approach that cannot take into account the diversity of North Yorkshire’s local communities and their wishes.”
Describing 20’s Plenty’s call for a blanket limit as “a radical proposal”, Coun Duncan said it deserved thorough consideration and public consultation, adding the authority needed to understand the views of North Yorkshire Police, detailed costs and road safety implications.
He said: “20’s Plenty are using increasingly ruthless tactics to demand I cut short my investigation prematurely and give them £1m before we’ve fully considered key factors. Why?
“I am concerned that 20’s Plenty are preying on legitimate public concerns about road safety and presenting a default 20mph as the only possible solution, when improved enforcement and crossing facilities might be preferred in the first instance.
“I am also concerned that 20’s Plenty are misleading the public by exaggerating and misrepresenting the levels of support for their campaign.
“Convenient confusion is being created with unclear and inconsistent language used by 20’s Plenty and opposition county councillors with a series of committee motions. Friday’s area committee motion, for example, does not call for the default 20mph that 20’s Plenty are seeking.”
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