Decision Details

Motion F

Proposer: Councillor Rippingale

This Council notes:

• Many residents in Colchester’s busy neighbourhoods are worried about speeding vehicles, especially on streets with high levels of on-street parking, where children, older people, and cyclists are most at risk.
• The 20mph speed limit is not being applied consistently or transparently across residential streets, despite its proven benefits for safety.
• Essex County Council is responsible for setting speed limits and implementing road design to improve road safety for all users.

This Council further notes:

• In 2024, over 1,600 people died on UK roads—more than half were pedestrians, cyclists, or motorcyclists.
• Colchester has one of the highest rates of road accidents in Essex, particularly involving people walking or cycling.
• Decisions based solely on speed surveys often overlook lived experience—such as near misses, school zones, and community concerns.
• Essex County Council’s Speed Management Strategy includes wider criteria—such as crash history, school proximity, and resident feedback—but these are not always applied consistently.

This Council believes:

• Everyone in Colchester deserves safe streets—especially in areas where children play, people walk, and those with mobility challenges live.
• The consistent implementation of 20mph limits, where supported by communities, must be matched by smart street design and traffic calming measures.
• Essex County Council must follow its own safety policies and ensure fair treatment across all neighbourhoods.

This Council resolves to:

• Reaffirm its support for the December 2024 motion backing the 20’s Plenty for Colchester campaign and the introduction of 20mph limits where supported by residents.
• Request that Essex County Council deliver a joined-up approach—combining lower speed limits with smart street design—to make roads genuinely safer.
• Call on Essex County Council to use a wider range of evidence when making decisions on road safety features—not just speed data, but also input from residents, schools, and near-miss reports.
• Colchester City Council to work with local communities to gather local evidence for safer streets, including better signage, enforcement, and design.
• Request a clear timeline for consultation from Essex County Council on rolling out consistent speed limits and safety measures across Colchester.