In 2014, Surbiton Liberal Democrats started the campaign for a 20mph limit on residential and town centre streets in Surbiton.
A public consultation was held and the town centre 20mph zone was supported by local residents, local schools and cycling groups. Despite this, Kingston Conservatives later used constitutional powers to stop the original plans.
Kingston Conservatives later introduced smaller 20mph areas that managed to omit the very streets where most accidents take place - as well as costing more than the original scheme proposed. Both ineffective and wasteful.
Surbiton Town Centre injuries map 2007 - 2015*
* http://road-injuries.info/map.html
Undeterred, your local Lib Dems councillors have kept up the fight.
Liberal Democrat Chair of Surbiton Neighbourhood committee, Councillor Malcolm Self, says:
“I am a strong supporter of 20mph limits in residential roads.
- Lower speed limits have proved to reduce serious and fatal crashes;
- They also create a better environment,
- Improve air quality, and
- Encourage more walking and cycling.
To see the facts rather than the fiction behind lower speed limits I’d encourage everyone to view the briefings at www.20splenty.org.
This will be the first neighbourhood wide 20mph consultation in Kingston and it is Liberal Democrat Surbiton that is leading the way.”