ePetition details
WATER STREET (BRINDLE) – Extend 20MPH Zones & Reduce National Speed Limits
20MPH Zone requires extending up the single track area from Calvert Cottage to the Village Pond.
During School term times, significant congestion and safety risks prevail as children are dropped off/collected along Water Street.
Junction with Water Street has restricted visibility of oncoming traffic travelling along Sandy Lane.
Water Street has no street lighting ,limited footpaths that
suddenly stop and pedestrians are expected to walk on the road , It
is popular road for cyclists and horse riders and has several blind
bends.
On many occasions vehicles can be seen in the hedge bottoms. In
November there were 3 incidents and it was not icy conditions
This ePetition ran from 13/12/2019 to 08/05/2020 and has now finished.
79 people signed this ePetition.
Council response
The purpose of lower speed limits within town and village locations is to provide clear communication to drivers of a change in the surrounding characteristics. In addition, to highlight the requirement for additional caution due to the potential increased presence of vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, children and cyclists. Signage at the entrance to these areas stated is a key source of information to drivers indicating the nature and risks posed by a section of road. The setting of speed limits are evidence led, self-explaining, and seek to reinforce drivers assessment of what is a safe speed to travel within a location, thus encouraging self-compliance. Where a limit is set unrealistically low for a particular road function and surrounding environment, it will likely be ineffective at communicating its purpose.
The national speed limit section of Water Street outside of the village reflects the rural characteristics of the surrounding area with reduced residential and commercial occupancy. This is common for many similar roads within the immediate area and Lancashire as a whole. This does not indicate that it is a safe speed to proceed irrespective of layout and conditions.
As previously stated, drivers are required to adjust their behaviour appropriately taking into consideration the road, traffic and weather conditions at the time.
We acknowledge that Water Street will feature an element of minor incidents not resulting in injury and, therefore, not required to be notified to the police. In such instances, there is generally insufficient reliable information available to determine the circumstances involved when considering further safety measures. Whether these relate to a potential recurring road safety concern or are simply associated with individual one off factors or driver error, medical episodes or mechanical failure.
Currently, speed and evidenced collision data for the area do not appear to support the identity of either Brindle village or the immediate surrounding approaches as a high risk zone. With no recorded injury collisions recorded within the last 5 years, Water Street is operating satisfactorily in terms of road safety.
I appreciate your desire to see accidents prevented before they happen, and we share this goal. However, our current priority is to target locations, which will have a demonstrable impact on reducing casualty figures, or to schemes, which contribute towards improving the wider highway network. It would be remiss of us not to try and make a positive impact at these locations our priority.
We understand that you are disappointed with our decision, but we hope our reasoning is clear.