The Daily Mail has published a story claiming that drivers, cyclists and even joggers could “risk being ticketed” under a “completely wrong” Labour council speed limit, brushing over the fact that the restriction is a temporary restriction during roadworks until the end.
In yet another piece on “London’s war on drivers’ wages”, the tabloid claims the 10mph speed limit is further “proof vehicle owners are being driven off the streets”.
When checking the speed of the cars driving past with a speed gun, they note that a cyclist was recorded reaching speeds of 18mph, and a runner reaching 12mph, despite speed limits not applying to runners or cyclists.
However, it is later revealed that the speed limit, which is on St John’s Street, North London, is due to the temporary narrowing of the carriageway due to roadworks.
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“Islington Council have sensibly applied a temporary speed limit along a very short stretch of roadworks to ensure people’s safety,” said Simon Munk from London Cycling Campaign.
“The only part of this ludicrous non-story that has validity is the comment that the 10mph limit is ‘half-hearted’ – the more sensible option would likely have been to make this section walk, wheel and cycle only, possibly permanently.”
The plans for St John’s Street include a southbound cycle lane, rain gardens and cycle parking spaces.
St John’s Street Plans (credit: Islington Council)
Ryan, 24, told the Daily Mail: “It feels like they’ve half-pedestrianised the road. They should either fully pedestrianise it and not have cars coming down or not.
“You see people outside pubs standing in the street, on a Friday night there are loads of people standing in the street. You can’t actually walk down the pavement.
“But half-hearting, going, oh we should pedestrianise things, the 10mph limit just feels like a halfway house and it’s not helping anyone.”
The Daily Mail claims that the concerns are that the speed limit will continue indefinitely, due to the fact that the council painted it onto the road surface.
However, the council have said that the limit will only apply while the roadworks is in place. As the Daily Mail mentions, it is not unusual for speed limits of 10mph to be in place during road works.
St John Street (credit: Islington Council)
Cab driver Noor Yaghob, 45, also told the Daily Mail: “If the reason is because of the roadworks it’s fine. If it’s not, if it carries on after I think it’s completely wrong.
“Recently because there’s a lot of work going on here and there are a lot of people moving about. It used to be a wider road and now because of the works it’s so narrow. I think it’s justified under the circumstances.
“I’m a minicab driver. So when I look at it I want to [drive] faster, but you have to follow the speed limit.”
Councillor Rowena Champion, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Air Quality and Transport, said: ‘The works at St John Street require temporary narrowing of the carriageway.
‘During this time, in order to keep local people and road users safe, we have put in place a temporary 10mph speed restriction. This restriction will be removed on completion of the works at the site.
‘We continue to work with local residents and businesses to ensure that access to all addresses and businesses is maintained throughout the works, and disruption is kept to a minimum.’