Lead Member for Transport and Environment
DECISIONS made by the Lead Member for Transport and Environment, Councillor Claire Dowling, on 26 June 2023 at Committee Room, County Hall, Lewes
Councillors Johnny Denis, Wendy Maples, Stephen Shing and Georgia Taylor spoke on item 4 (see minute 19)
15. Decisions made by the Lead Cabinet Member on 5 June 2023
15.1 The Lead Member approved as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 5 June 2023.
16. Disclosure of Interests
16.1 There were none.
17. Urgent items
17.1 There were none.
18. Reports
18.1 Reports referred to in the minutes below are contained in the minute book.
19. Notice of Motion to review and update Policy PS05/02 Local Speed Limits
19.1 The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.
DECISIONS
19.2 The Lead Member RESOLVED to recommend that the County Council rejects the Motion.
REASONS
19.3 East Sussex County Council is committed to working with all stakeholders to improve road safety across East Sussex, including our partners on the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership.
19.4 Speed limit policy PS05/02 is based on national guidance issued by the Department for Transport, best practice, local experience, the views of Sussex Police as the appropriate enforcement authority, and is reflective of what is required to produce an effective speed limit. The policy will continue to be reviewed regularly to ensure that it complies with the latest national guidance available.
19.5 The policy is not prescriptive and allows for lower speed limits to be considered for those locations deemed appropriate if the necessary traffic management or engineering measures are implemented to ensure compliance.
19.6 Following receipt of the Notice of Motion, a review was undertaken of the relevant national guidance issued by The Department for Transport (including Circular 01/2013 and the January 2022 revisions to the Highway Code) and this concluded that adopted Policy PS05/02 continues to reflect national guidance and best practice and has been found to be fit for purpose. Therefore, it is not recommended that valuable resources are diverted to undertake the review requested by the Notice of Motion.
19.7 The new Speed Limit Programme will assess the potential for lower speed limits across all A and B class roads within the County and identify a programme for improvements. Over the next three years, more than 25 stretches of road will benefit from speed limit reductions or measures that will increase the effectiveness of existing speed limits.