“HUMPS SAVE LIVES”

“For typical types of road traffic collisions

the risk of death for drivers and pedestrians

involved reduces with reduced vehicle speeds and it is

particularly important to consider those speeds

where the balance tips in favour of survival.”

(Deparment for Transport, excerpt from circular 01/2013)

RE- INSTALL NAYLOR ROAD N20 SPEED HUMPS

Road incidents involving pedestrians and pets being killed or badly injured by speeding cars are not inevitable. They need not happen. We believe that in order to prevent this from happening, London Borough of Barnet citizens must come together as the close knit community we are, to demand greater efforts from our local authority in seeking the implementation of an effective road safety plan, aiming to reduce the misery and pain brought to many families as result of these tragic incidents.

This petition comes from residents of Naylor Road N20, which becomes Ridgeway Road. We are increasingly worried about a fatal accident waiting to happen as result of the constant car speeding by drivers using our road as a cut through.

Since Naylor Road is a two way road, I have often witness near misses and regularly hear the sounds of cars using their horns to warn of an impending collision or the heated confrontation between drivers about who has right of way. Besides, we have commuter parking the whole length of the road which narrows the street considerably impeding pedestrians’ visibility of oncoming vehicles when trying to cross the road. Regrettably, we have also had several of our pets cats killed or badly injured by speeding cars on our road, the latest incident happened recently on Sunday 30/11/2014.

More importantly, we are very concerned not only for our own safety but for the safety of all pedestrians using our road; including a great number of students who attend primary and secondary schools in the area such as St John's CofE Primary School in Swan Lane, Whetstone, London, N20 0PL; Finchley Catholic High School in Woodside Ln, London N12 8TA; including Mace Montessori School which is a nursery school, in Gloucester House, 150 Woodside Ln, London N12 8TP; and who may become potential -God forbid- victims of a road traffic accident in our vicinity.

Therefore, we are asking for an urgent review from the Council on this issue, in order to allow the re-installation of the speed humps that were removed back in 2003 and which were laid on this road after a child was knocked down by a speeding car. We believe that due to the seriousness of this situation in terms of the potential threat it represents for pedestrians’ safety; this petition must be treated as one of urgency.

In principle, we would ask for three considerations to be taken into account:

1. Re-install humps to slow down vehicles using the road

2. A 20mph speed limit for the road

3. Traffic management and traffic calming measures

Finally, we are aware that ours is not the only petition regarding road safety issues in our borough that requires to be urgently looked at. Therefore, as a gesture of solidarity; we would like to ask the Council for those petitions to be also dealt with at the earliest possible opportunity.

ANNEXE

Department for Transport

Department for Transport, excerpts from Circular 01/2013

SETTING LOCAL SPEED LIMITS

“It is on urban roads that the majority of road casualties occur, including

87% of all pedestrian and 83% of all pedal cyclists casualties (DfT, 2011).

Collisions typically involve pedestrians and cyclists, including children, and

knowledge of the relationship between vehicle speed and injury severity in

any collision must inform decisions on speed limits. Research has shown

that the risk of a pedestrian dying in a collision with a car increases slowly

up to an impact speed of around 30mph, but at speeds above 30 mph the

risk of death increases rapidly (Rosén and Sander, 2009). Car occupants

also benefit from lower speeds. Research in London showed that the

largest casualty reductions associated with 20mph zones were children

killed and seriously injured, and car occupants (Grundy et al, 2008)” [1]

“Most road traffic law pertaining to speed limits is contained in the Road

Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (RTRA 1984). Other relevant legislation

includes the Highways Act 1980, in particular Sections 90A-F concerning

the construction and maintenance of road humps and Sections 90G-I

concerning other traffic-calming works.”[2]