Wirral's 20mph speed cut programme hits the skids (From Wirral Globe)
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Wirral's 20mph speed cut programme hits the skids
10:27am Wednesday 12th September 2012 in News
CONCERNS have been raised that a council spending freeze will signal the end for the expansion of a road safety initiative in Wirral.
Oxton councillor Stuart Kelly criticised Wirral Council cabinet for “halting progress” on introducing 20mph zones in residential areas.
The authority froze all “non-essential” spending last week as it struggled to stem a projected £17m budget overspend.
It was also revealed that over the next three years, Government funding to Wirral will be reduced by a massive £100m.
Commenting on the halt, Cllr Kelly said: “Cabinet has made a decision to freeze all expenditure without fully understanding the implications on the delivery of important projects like this vital road safety initiative.
“A lot of work has already taken place consulting with neighbourhood forums.
“I know in Oxton we were looking forward to finally getting safer roads at the Holmlands estate and around Oxton Village along with all other residential areas throughout Oxton.
“This arbitrary decision shows that whilst cabinet may know the cost of everything it clearly knows the value of nothing.
“Cabinet needs to rethink this and ensure that important services and projects like the 20mph are released from the effects of the expenditure freeze."
Council leader Cllr Phil Davies said at cabinet that even though the cuts would be unpopular, it was vital that they were implemented. He said: “Finding ways of making £100m is a massive challenge for us, which is why we need to engage all our residents, communities, the voluntary sector, businesses and staff to find out what their priorities are.
“By doing this it will help shape our budget for the next three years when we set it in November. We have a responsibility to the public to ensure we get it right.
“Whatever cuts are made might not be what everyone wants, but they will have to be made nevertheless.”
Comments(5)
My10pencesWorth
says...
12:29pm Wed 12 Sep 12
http://www.thesun.co
.uk/sol/homepage/new
s/4481938/Official-C
asualties-soaring-in
-20mph-zones.html
Ben Beaconsfield
says...
1:50pm Wed 12 Sep 12
Alternatively, he could come back from his trip to cloud-cuckoo-land and recognise that this local authority is in deep **** and that very radical action is needed both on his part and on the part of his fellow councillors.
(PS - like the picture. It will go well in an election leaflet.)
Spiffy
says...
3:15pm Wed 12 Sep 12
steady cyclist wrote:An increasingly popular analogy but fails on the fact that it wasn't "peer pressure" at all that put smokers out on the streets of public buildings or work places. Private property is a seperate issue though I've never known a belligerent smoker demanded to smoke in someone else's family home against their express wishes. How rude !
Good news at the huger amount of money that will be saved, instead of spending lots of cash on signs, that nobody is going to enforce, the local police are hard presed to man speed cameras at present , so they have little chance of doing every road on the wirral.
What is a better deterent is peer pressure, where you are made to be an outcast for speeding, shuned by your family and workmates like smokers .
Its worked with smokers who also affected other peoples lives with their anti social behaviour, and now theyre out in the cold and rain.
...
I take your point on peer pressure though a self-righteous attitude as to what *other* people should or shouldn't do based on personal opinion is all very well...and the gods know I've vented enough of my own pet hates on this forum...but it's ultimately irrelevant to those concerned.
...
As with anything else only changing The Law and introducing a raft of financial penalties will bring success for those who demand that people change and your point about lack of enforcement for costly signs being a waste of money is spot on.
Nigrette
says...
12:48pm Fri 14 Sep 12
steady cyclist says...
10:40am Wed 12 Sep 12
What is a better deterent is peer pressure, where you are made to be an outcast for speeding, shuned by your family and workmates like smokers .
Its worked with smokers who also affected other peoples lives with their anti social behaviour, and now theyre out in the cold and rain.