Local residents may have wondered why new traffic calming measures are being installed at various locations in the ward:
1) Corner of Berwick and Waverley Street – speed bump and dropped curbs
2) Orchard Street and Waverly Street – speed bump and dropped curbs
3) Osier Street and St Mark’s Close – radius change and dropped curbs
4) Aldersley Road and Norton Road – radius change and dropped curbs
5) Aldersley Road – start of road speed bump
Short version: We are introducing new 20mph zones to cover St Mark’s Close as far as Berwick Street and in addition on Norton Road too. This is to support more walking and cycling between the new houses being built south of St Peters and to give St Peter’s residents a safer option of walking or wheeling into town.
Longer version: Worcestershire County Council have been heavily criticised for many years for not planning enough walking and cycling infrastructure. This has lead to increased amount of car use and congestion in the city centre. I’m pleased these new 20mph zones are being introduced – I’ve always supported 20mph zones on residential side roads where people live.
Yes, the county council is pretty much bankrupt but this money has come largely from central government with a few thousand pounds contributed by myself and fellow Green councillor Tor Pingree from our annual discretionary budgets.
There has been some kick back asking what are the new speed bumps for? I’m hoping that when seen in the context of wanting to create more choice of how we travel most people will agree that these new 20 mph zones will make our community safer and a better place to live.
You can see the detail of the plans linked here: (you might need to zoom in) Drawings showing new infrastructure
