Use of Speed limit buffer zones.

The request was refused by South Gloucestershire Council.

Dear South Gloucestershire Council,

This FOI request is being made regarding speed limit buffer zones, where rather than the limit changing directly at the entrance to a village, the limit change is pushed back a certain distance from the entrance to the village so the change happens somewhere (at least seemingly) arbitrary, and there is no longer a drop in speed limit where the built up area starts.

Is there a standard set distance back from the start of the village that is used for speed limit buffer zones?

How many villages now have these?

Is the use of buffer zones based on any academic study that has said they are effective, and what are they?

Have any speed studies been taken (in the village itself not in the buffer zone) before and after the implementation of a buffer zones, and what has been the effect average traffic speeds the 85th percentile and overall level of compliance within the villages themselves?

Yours faithfully,

Alex Hosking

ECSFeedback, South Gloucestershire Council

Dear Alex Hosking,

Thank you for your recent request for information under the Freedom of Information Act, which was received by the Environment & Community Services Department on 20th May 2016. Please note that this is also the date that the 20 day period for considering your request commenced.

Your request will now be considered in accordance with the Act by our Transportation Services Team under reference number FIDP/007423-15.

In the event that the information you have requested is to be disclosed, it will be sent to you no later than 17th June 2016.  If we are unable to respond by this date then we will contact you to agree a suitable alternative date to respond to your request.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards,

Sue

Sue Lomax
Departmental Feedback Officer,
Environment and Community Services Dept.
 
Department for Environment and Community Services
PO Box 299
Information Management Team
Civic Centre
High Street
BRISTOL
BS15 0DR
 
Working days: Thursday & Friday
Tel: (01454) 863405
Email:  [email address]

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Robert Joyce, South Gloucestershire Council

Dear Mr Hosking,

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST ref: FIDP/007423-15

 

Thank you for your Freedom of information request regarding speed limit
buffer zones.

 

Please find below the response to your request:

 

1. Is there a standard set distance back from the start of the village
that is used for speed limit buffer zones?

Department for Transport advice given in DfT Circular 01/2013 ‘Setting
Local Speed Limits’ recommends that the minimum length of a speed limit
should generally be not less than 600 metres to avoid too many changes of
speed limit along the route. In exceptional circumstances this can be
reduced to 400 metres for lower speed limits, or even 300 metres on roads
with a purely local access function, or where a variable 20 mph limit is
introduced, for example outside a school. Anything shorter is not
recommended.

2. How many villages now have these?
The Council hasn't got readily available information about this. From our
preliminary assessment, we estimate that compliance with this part of your
request would exceed the appropriate costs limit under section 12 of the
Freedom of information Act 2000. This is currently £450 or 18 hours @ £25
per hour. The reason why we believe that your request will exceed the cost
threshold is because a search would need to be made through over 1000
traffic regulation orders relating to speed limits to identify which ones
related to speed limit buffer zones.

 

The estimated time required to complete your request is: 21 hours.

 

As an alternative, you could get an approximate idea of how many villages
in South Gloucestershire have speed limit buffer zones by looking at
on-line street images, although I appreciate that such images are not
always up to date.

3. Is the use of buffer zones based on any academic study that has said
they are effective, and what are they?
I am not aware of such a study.

4. Have any speed studies been taken (in the village itself not in the
buffer zone) before and after the implementation of a buffer zones, and
what has been the effect average traffic speeds the 85th percentile and
overall level of compliance within the villages themselves?
I am not aware of any such studies.

If you have any questions about this response then please contact me again
either by email or at the address below. 

 

If you are not happy with this response you have the right to request an
internal review by emailing [1][email address].  Please quote
the reference number above when contacting the Council again.

 

If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of the internal review you may
apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).  The ICO
can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe
House, Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF or via their website at
[2]www.ico.org.uk

 

Rob Joyce

Strategic Road Safety Manager

Department of Environment and Community Services

South Gloucestershire Council

PO Box 299

Civic Centre

High Street

Kingswood

BS15 0DR

 

 Tel:  01454 863752

 

Find out more about the Strategic Road Safety Team at:

 

[3]http://www.southglos.gov.uk/transport-an...

 

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