Cornwall Council intends to implement a 20mph Speed Limit on most residential streets within Penzance and surrounding villages. These settlements, which are part of the West Penwith Community Network Area, have previously expressed support for this. 30mph buffers will also be implemented leading up to these, where deemed necessary. Please see additional documentation for further details of settlements affected and proposed extents.
It is considered that implementing a reduced speed limit (20mph) on roads within these areas will make a major contribution towards improving road safety, especially for vulnerable road users, or traffic using these roads. This, in turn, will aid in the achievement of the Council’s ‘Vision Zero’ goal – working towards the prevention of all fatal and serious injuries on the county road network.
The imposition of 20mph speed limits in these locations, should also improve the amenity of these areas and assist in encouraging a transition towards individuals using active travel, particularly for local journeys, resulting in increased journey time reliability and healthier communities. Severance by traffic will also be reduced, facilitating a greater use of local community facilities and enabling more liveable streets. As well as encouraging more social interaction, this should also be beneficial to the local economy.
The wide roll-out of 20mph speed limits is also likely to reduce noise and air pollution, via the removal of any need for motor vehicles to use harsh breaking and/or acceleration, providing additional positive health benefits for both visitors and residents alike.
Consultation Method: email, post
Department: Communities