New housing developments in Rye, and across East Sussex, could be built with 20mph speed limits after the county council unanimously agreed to support the idea. East Sussex County Council also voted to include more speed restrictions in local plans.
In February, a motion put forward by Liberal Democrat Kathryn Field and Green Party councillor Brett Wright called on the authority to work with district and borough councils to introduce new planning policies linked to lower speed limits.
Introducing the motion, Councillor Field said, “Many people – experts, not just myself, my group and other members of this council – believe that 20mph limits are very appropriate in certain settings. They improve quality of life, they improve road safety. If you are knocked over by a car going 20mph you are less likely to be killed than if one is going at 30mph, which in most residential areas is the default speed limit.”
The motion also saw the council call on its executive to “seek to influence” the content of emerging local plans – key policy documents developed by local planning authorities – so that principles around low speed zones are included within them. This would include, but not be limited to, 20mph zones, councillors heard.
Image Credits: James Stewart .