Graham reports back from Friends of Scholes Park meeting
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by Lib Dem Team on 12 August, 2016
The Lib Dems are calling for motorists to keep to the speed limit around Cheadle and Gatley.
“Over the Summer Holidays children are far more likely to be out and about and, children being children, they may not be paying as much attention as they should,” said Cllr Iain Roberts. “The 20mph limits are there for a reason – in the event of an accident, a pedestrian is far less likely to be seriously injured or killed by a car travelling at 20mph than at 30mph. As the speed goes up, the risk of injury and death does too.”
19 Comments
We could certainly do with a speed camera on High Grove Rd. Certain elements of our society still regard it as a drag strip.
Unfortunately there are strict Government rules on where speed cameras can go and roads like High Grove don’t quality (e.g. there has to have been several recent accidents and in the last six years there’s not been any accidents on High Grove Road reported to the Police).
In any group of humans there are always a few who disregard the law & moral standards. But increasingly a proportion of the remainder who adopt the philosophy “I’ll do it if I can get away with it”. Only regular enforcement can alter that. It is also true that even speed limits do not do away with danger – bad weather, excitable children as you mention. I know the dislike of speed monitors (so-called money spinners) but at least a standard letter to those who transgress by 10% – say – would jolt consciences.
I’ve long campaigned for physical measures to keep the speed of all traffic on High Grove Road at a safe level for a number of years but to no avail. I even canvassed the households along the entire length a number of years ago and with the exception of a few, the majority were in favour of the introduction of speed bumps. The council rejected the views of the residents even though official speed monitoring strips registered a number of vehicles at over 50 mph along High Grove Road.
However much a nuisance they might be considered by those wishing to get from A to B as quickly as possible, the speed bumps on the Gatley side of the A34 are effective even after being ‘softened’ in recent years.
By comparison, the 20 mph roundels on High Grove Road and Broadway continue to be significantly less so.
Iain, if you accept that children will be children, accept also that drivers will be drivers and the only way to control excessive speed on residential roads like High Grove Road and Broadway is with the introduction of physical speed reduction measures.
Hi John – we are always happy to look at physical calming. On High Grove Road we have surveyed residents twice in recent years and on both occasions a majority opposed traffic calming measures. I full accept that some people will always speed. (I speak to people on Silverdale Road who say cars still speed down there despite the speed humps) and if a majority of residents are in favour then we will campaign for it.
These ‘surveys’ are always used by the Lib Dem Team to counter the request for physical calming measures.
I’ve previously expressed interest the results of your two surveys but no details have been forthcoming. I still have the details of my canvassing and would be happy to share them.
I’ve been resident on High Grove Road for 15 years and not once in that time have we been notified or been made aware of the surveys you mention.
Hi John,
After previous surveys we’ve delivered a leaflet to every house on the road detailing the results. You emailed us back in 2012 after you’d had the leaflet we put out then, but I can try to go back and find the results if you like.
Hi Keith
In 2012 you kindly called round with the results of the ‘residents letter’ as I had not received the delivered details leaflet you mention. Your stats were however based on only 58 replies from High Grove Road and High Lea, less than three-quarters of the residents on these two roads and fewer than my own canvassing on HGR alone. Your headline from that focussed solely on the ‘strong support’ for 20 mph which were later introduced. Traffic-calming was overlooked.
In 2015 you undertook an on-line survey. We did correspond following my submission but I don’t recall seeing ‘a summary of the most frequent responses’ you aimed to produce. Your closing comment was “I will raise this issue with Iain and Graham – it could be time for another examination.”.
But that too seems to have fallen by the wayside.
Totally, totally, totally disagree. Speed humps are an eyesore and largely poorly designed.
Permanent speed cameras are effective and recoup the cost of the 20mph signage and a real deterrent over speed bumps.
I could personally live with an eyesore that keeps the roads safe for the children and elderly that use the residential roads.
Perhaps those nice yellow and black ones currently in place at Sharston tip (for those who have used it recently) might be an improvement on the traditional ‘hump’.
Now they are effective !!
waste of time, been on my front this morning gardening at least 5 cars gone past well over the 20 mph.
Cheadle High Street and all the side roads are supposed to be restricted to 20mph, but the signs are are poorly placed; often hidden by trees or shrubs and I doubt most motorist know of their existence. Can we have ’20’ signs painted on the roads (like a lot of other councils have) to highlight the restriction on all the major roads through Cheadle village? This should include Manchester Road, Stockport Road, Gatley Road and Wilmslow Road.
Rick.
And still no action on e South Park slip road – the drivers illegally coming off Kingsway and M60 speed, ignore the Give Way at Braystan and all seem to have steering problems, as they are unable to manoeuvre within the white lines! Speed, however, generally doesn’t cause accidents. It’s bad driving. And there is scientific evidence to back this up, but it’s never put out there, much the same as those scientists who have differing opinions on global warming…….
Hi Robert – we’ve worked hard and made numerous improvements on the South Park Road Estate over the last few years, but we’ve not come up with a way to stop traffic illegally coming onto the estate – short of a near-permanent police presence.
We’re open to suggestions from residents.
Iain
A periodic police presence at the rush hours, as used to be the case, would work wonders. If the illegal drivers could never be sure when the cops would be around, it would (probably) act as a greater deterrent than anything so far tried. I know the police are busy – but isn’t that why we have PCSOs? Start out with, say, three or four consecutive days so folk get the message, then pop up once or twice a month thereafter.
Could we at least have one of those signs like the one at the top of Schools Hill that makes you aware of your speed or tells you to slow down on both ends of Broadway and High Grove? We had one on High Grove a few years ago and I thought it was effective. Also, turning from High Grove Road onto Broadway is increasingly tricky due to cars parking on/near the junction and reducing visibility for pulling out. Finally could we have a mirror on the bridge facing Broadway and “slow down-concealed exit” signs on Wilmslow Road to make turning right out of Broadway safer?
Hi Adele – we’ll take a look at those suggestions – thank you!
Why are there still school streets in Cheadle with 30 mph limits carrying HGVs?
Hi Anonymous – can I ask which streets you have in mind?