Support for a campaign seeking a Dorset-wide 20mph speed limit received less than unanimous support from Blandford town councillors in May, when it was approved with six votes in favour, but seven abstentions.

20sPlenty Dorset co- ordinator Dily Gartside spoke about the campaign currently active in Dorset in which decision makers – councillors and highway officers, MPs and the new Police & Crime Commissioner David Sidwick – were lobbied to support the key call in this year’s UN Road Safety Week for 30km/h or 20mph speed limits in places where pedestrians cyclists and motor traffic mix.

20sPlenty campaigners have asked Dorset Highways, which is currently reviewing its traffic street management policy, to update its speed management policy in accordance with DfT Government guidelines and best practice, thus enabling all towns and parishes who want 20mph to be supported. She said one in three people in the UK live where 20mph is agreed as normal, and is what is wanted for Dorset towns and villages to result in fewer casualties, healthier and more sustainable lifestyle through people willing to cycle and walk, the halving of traffic noise and reduction in pollution.

“Our aims are supported by a Dorset County Hospital A&E Consultant who names Dorset’s roadkill as ‘motorcide’, the biggest killer of healthy people,” she said. “In 2019, Dorset Police reported 988 road casualties of which 343 occurred on 30mph roads where 47 were killed or suffered life changing injuries, The DfT estimates the costs of these casualties was £101.5million.”

Cllr Lacey-Clarke advised town councillors that since Dorset Council was already looking at this, he did not believe Town Council support was required at this stage. He abstained from the vote as a request for a 20mph limit in the whole of Blandford is going to a committee he is working with. But Councillor Hugo Mieville’s proposal of town council support for the Dorset wide campaign as well as a limit for Blandford was seconded by Councillor Rosemary Holmes, and less than half those present agreed.

For more information on the campaign, see www.20splenty.org.uk, call Dilys on 01258 860157.

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