"School" Should Mean "Slow" says Lib Dem County Leader

8.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 13th Nov 2006

"School" should mean "Slow" says Trudy Dean, Lib Dem County Council Leader for Kent

Lib Dem County Council Leader Councillor Trudy Dean today told Members of Kent County Council's Highways Advisory Board that roads passing school gates should have 20mph speed restrictions.

"A school sign should mean 'slow' for a driver."

Members were considering an officer report which recommended that Kent County Council should not support 20mph restrictions for all schools, but should look at them on a case by case basis. Problems of cost and enforcement were given to prevent a 'blanket policy' for all schools. Trudy disagreed and pointed out that KCC missed many opportunities for putting in school 20mph zones at little extra cost.

"In West Malling KCC put in a 20mph zone but left More Park RC School 200 yards outside it. New parking regulations were put outside the school, and could have included a 20mph restriction at the same time, but didn't. I would be happy to pay for schools in my area to be protected from my County Councillors' grant but KCC has so far refused to budge. All new schools should also have 20mph restrictions from the outset."

Committee members agreed to set the officer recommendation aside and ask the 12 Joint County/District Transportation Committees to look at proposals for speed restrictions outside each of the KCC schools in their Boroughs.

After the meeting Trudy said: "I am pleased KCC will move forward on this issue. Other countries and counties manage these restrictions - now I hope Kent will too."