Contact: Peter Bayless, ext 6882 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report sets out the proposed Improvement Plan which has been developed following completion of the Speed Management Service Improvement Review. The proposed Action Points and progress to date are set out in the attached appendix.

2. Background

2.1 A report on the Service Improvement Review (the Brief for which was approved the Environment Policy Review Committee [PRC] on 1 December 2004) was considered by the Environment PRC on 6 October 2005. The issues arising from the review were discussed, particularly with regard to the casualty reduction benefits of speed control and the difficulty of deciding the appropriate County Council response to concerns about traffic speed and safety where there is not a serious injury accident record, as based upon Police recorded road collision and casualty data.

2.2 In addition, four key issues had been identified during the consultations with stakeholders which had taken place as part of the review. These were:

(i) consultation procedures on speed management proposals;

(ii) assessing the environmental intrusion of typical speed control measures;

(iii) that the County Council might make more use of innovative speed awareness techniques, such as vehicle activated speed warning signs; and

(iv) liaison with the Police to improve speed management and enforcement.

3. Improvement Plan

3.1 The issues emerging from the review and discussion at the autumn 2005 PRC meeting have been developed into a proposed Improvement Plan, consisting of eight action points and two additional items to address, details of which are set out in the appendix. Some progress has already been made on many of those action points where a clear consensus has emerged or where they link with other initiatives, such as the LPSA2 negotiations with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister over a road casualty reduction target. In this case LPSA2 Government `pump-priming' supporting funds to help achieve the target should assist with the acquisition of innovative vehicle activated speed warning signs.

3.2 The current position on the progress which has been made on the action points is also set out in the appendix.

4. Conclusion

4.1 It is felt that this Service Improvement Review identified a number of important issues and that the proposed Improvement Plan contains a comprehensive package of appropriate action points to address these. Significant progress has already been made to implement these proposals and it is hoped that it will be possible to demonstrate worthwhile benefits from continued monitoring of outcomes.

5. Impact Assessments

5.1 Speed control measures benefit all sectors of the community in terms of safety or environmental improvement. Assessment of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act has been considered and the needs of particular user groups will be taken into account in the design of schemes as appropriate.

Recommendation

That the Improvement Plan proposed following the Speed Management Service Improvement Review be approved.

892Rpt/PDB