Tag Archives: 20mph zones

Letters

Letters to The Whistler

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Dear Editor
I’ve seen some correspondence in The Whistler recently about the heartbreak that grandparents suffer when they are denied contact with their grandchildren. Readers may like to know about BeGrand.net a new website for grandparents, which can offer support.

It has information and advice on a whole host of topics, from the serious issues like denied contact through to helping children to learn at home and fun activities that grandparents and children can do together. The website contains expert advice on caring for children and keeping them safe, as well as guidance on everyday issues around growing up, and there are confidential online advisers trained to deal with legal and social issues. Most importantly, it is a place for grandparents to talk to each other about the issues that matter. If any grandparents in the area need any support on any aspect of grandparenting, they’ll find help at www.begrand.net
Julia Shipston

Dear Readers
The new extension to Area ‘H’ has created problems for various businesses and, most of all, for Mac’s Café in Arundel Road. The Council did not include any exclusive pay and display bays, only shared bays or permit only. This is causing a great problem when trying to park and visit the café or shops in the area. I have presented a petition to ask the Council to correct this oversight, and that a 1 hour tariff be included rather than just half and two hour charges.
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Environment

How Slow is Slow?

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There are moves afoot to apply 20mph zones to all streets except the main corridors. Some political parties are supporting the idea with the view that it will help to prevent accidents, while others argue that it will create problems from increased pollution. It’s bound to lead to increased levels of pollution, due to most cars being unable to drive in top gear whilst travelling at 20mph or less.

I tested out my own vehicle driving at 30mph and the rev counter showed 1400. At the lower road speed of 20mph in 3rd gear the rev counter showed 1400 also, thus proving the point of increased pollution as the vehicle takes half as long again to travel the same distance, thereby increasing the pollution by 50%.
A 20mph sign does nothing to actually reduce speed; it relies purely on the motorist to slow down. The more positive way to reduce speed in the smaller streets is to install humps. Of course, this works but is very expensive and most uncomfortable to drive over. On the other hand, how do you enforce signs unless you use cameras to measure and photograph vehicles? Again, very expensive and not really practical.

Reducing the amount of cars helps to solve both problems until you consider the alternative means of transport. The buses do not cover the needs of everybody’s journeys and if you were to remove the 30,000-odd motorists from this City you would need at least 1000 extra buses. Also, extra home shopping delivery vehicles etc. Back comes the pollution (unless all vehicles are low emission type). This complex problem is not going to be solved easily or cheaply. Please contact me with you queries and problems via our email address theppp@gmx.com or telephone me on 07768 002328 between 11am and 6pm.

Steve Percy, (chairman) Peoples Parking Protest