Email from...
Stu Wilson, Chairman of the Brampton Parish Council, Norfolk.

Hello,

I wonder if you would consider highlighting this on your website.

I am currently the chairman of a Parish Council in Norfolk, we are one of the smallest villages in the area and only accessed by single vehicle width narrow lanes.. In a personal capacity I have started a petition on the No 10 website calling for speed restrictions on very narrow country lanes like ours. I expand my arguments a little below and am seeking support from groups that enjoy the use of this sort of lane both as motorist and recreationally. I am writing to you in the hope that you and the organisation / website you represent could offer support to this petition.

Country Lanes were not built for speed rather they were constructed originally for horse and cart. This was the mode of transport when the vast network of narrow country lanes developed in the rural parts of this country; people say that they are a single car width but the reality is that they are cart width and were designed and constructed with that in mind.

It didn't matter that there were high hedges, blind corners and hill summits as speed was simply not an issue. Today however these self same lanes are host to the motor vehicle which is capable of infinitely faster speeds and human nature being what it is they will be driven inappropriately if there is no restriction or sanction.

Such law as there is applies the national speed limit of 60mph for non-dual carriageways to such roads except for short streches through some villages if they are lucky. Some take this as a green light to drive at a higher than safe speed. The only sanction is the option that the Police have to charge people with careless or dangerous driving if their speed is excessive to the prevailing conditions. However this usually only happens after an accident when it may be too late to save innocent people or animals from injury or death. In some cases traffic flow, as in our village, is so low that authorities are very reluctant to introduce any kind of limit - a need proven by loss of ife and property seems to be the trigger for action.

To make matters worse where a narrow lane joins a bigger road that does have a speed restriction the change to the national speed limit has to be signed by law. This can be seen as a green light for bad behaviour and possibly a defence in law if the Police were to take action. This green light to bad behaviour adds insult to injury when we have been asking for a lower limit on the lanes. I accept that 50 mph is appropriate for the larger road. There are photographs to illustrate this on the news page of www.bramptonnorfolk.org.uk

The petition at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/countrylanes/ calls for a mandatory 30 mph limit on such roads unless local conditions dictate a lower one. In rare cases I also accept that there may be a case for a higher limit which could be allowed for. An example would be some of the Scottish wilderness A roads that are narrow with passing places but mostly have a good surface and clear visibility.

This petition is clearly aimed at any user group including motorists but of particular concern are cyclists, walkers and horse riders. The petition must be signed by the beginning of September and if there are sufficient numbers then the government will be forced to take notice. At the very least a well supported petition has to go before the appropriate minister for consideration and reply which gives an opportunity to engage with the decision makers who have one eye on the rural vote.

The mechanics of defining a narrow lane and where lower speed limits would be appropriate can be left at this stage although on the former it is clear to me that if the road width is insufficient to allow two average cars to pass comfortably then it must be defined as narrow.

I envisage that the way this would work is the introduction of a third tier of national speed limit. We are already used to two tiers. This would also have the advantage of reducing cost and signage as existing signs could remain. It would not prevent lower limits if the local situation demanded it. Such a method would mean that anyone driving at an inappropriate speed would no longer have the defence that what they were doing was legal.

If you agree please support the petition, it takes but a few moments of your time. Tell others who are like minded and contribute to telling the government that road safety is not just an urban issue. If anybody wants to get in touch through www.bramptonnorfolk.org.uk I will respond. In any case thank you for taking the time to read this.

Regards

Stu Wilson

Website - please look www.bramptonnorfolk.org.uk