Report to:

Place Scrutiny Committee

 

Date of meeting:

29 September 2025

 

By:

Director of Communities, Economy and Transport 

 

Title:

Scrutiny Review of Local Speed Limit Policy

 

Purpose:

To provide an update on the action plan from the Scrutiny Review of Local Speed Limit Policy report dated November 2024

 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

 

1      To note the updates to the recommendations and action plan set out in Appendix 1

 

 

1.       Background

 

1.1          The Place Scrutiny Committee at the meeting on 12 July 2024 agreed to establish a Review Board to undertake a Scrutiny Review of ESCC’s Local Speed Limit Policy. The scope of the review included:

 

·                Consideration of the purpose of a local speed limit policy and examining how local speed limits are reviewed, assessed and delivered by East Sussex County Council (ESCC).

·                Examining whether the ESCC local speed limit policy PS05/02 is in line with national Department for Transport (DfT) guidance.

·                Reviewing examples of other local authority speed limit policies (e.g. our nearest neighbours and those with similar road networks to ESCC).

·                Reviewing national and local evidence on the impact and effectiveness of lower speed limits and zones (including 20mph limits).

·                Exploring other measures local authorities and developments are bringing forward to deliver low speed environments in both urban and rural areas.

·                Exploring how ESCC currently communicates the local speed limit policy and wider policy context to residents and considers potential improvements.

·                Reviewing the amount of officer time spent carrying out assessments of road safety concerns and preparing petition reports.

 

1.2       The recommendations of the Scrutiny Review were presented to Cabinet for comment on 28 January 2025 and were accepted at Full Council on 11 February 2025. A copy of the full scrutiny review report and Cabinet’s response to the recommendations can be found on the Council’s web site here Agenda for Cabinet on Tuesday, 28th January, 2025, 10.00 am.

 

 

2.       Supporting information

2.1          The Scrutiny Review of Local Speed Limit Policy was welcomed by the Department and the opportunity afforded by the review to examine improvements in how the service communicates the process for reviewing speed limits to the community.  

 

2.2          The Department’s response to the Review’s recommendations and an update to the action plan are set out in Appendix 1.

 

2.3          A copy of the original Scrutiny Review of Local Speed Limit Policy report is attached in Appendix 2 for information.

 

3.       Conclusion and reasons for recommendations

           

3.1       The Scrutiny Review highlighted several areas of focus for the department regarding the Local Speed Limit Policy. Progress has been made against each of the recommendations as highlighted in Appendix 1.

 

3.2       The Place Scrutiny Committee is recommended to note the updates to the action plan and to formally note all recommendations having been embedded into the departments working practices as standard.  

 

 

RUPERT CLUBB

Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

 

Contact Officer: Ismina Harvey

Email: Ismina.Harvey@eastsussex.gov.uk

 

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