Speed campaigners given boost with 20mph signs

Basildon councillors have agreed to put up “20’s Plenty”signs in Dry Street, where Justin Bowman, 23, died after being hit by a car in May.

At the time, the 60mph national speed limit was in force there.

Essex County Council has since imposed a 40mph limit.

However, campaigners say that’s still too fast – and have challenged the county councillor in charge of roads to see for himself.

Denise Briggenshaw, 46, who lives nearby in The Upway, helped organise a 6,000-name petition calling for a 30mph limit. She said: “We need to change what’s going on in this road.

“Rodney Bass, the county’s transport boss, needs to drive down this road doing the speed he is suggesting and see how bad it is.

“It’sarat-run and people also come here to go to Basildon Hospital, the nursery and the stables. There are no pavements and some parts of the road are only big enough for one car.

“A fatality has happened and that has highlighted that a speed limit was needed.

“We are not giving up the fight for a lower speed limit. It’s to safeguard the community and the people who visit Basildon.”

The ‘20’s Plenty’ signs are not legally enforceable, but research suggests they often have the effect of making drivers go more slowly.

A cross-party motion will be put to Basildon Council’s next full council meeting, calling for Essex County Council to impose 20mph zones around schools and other appropriate areas, including Dry Street.

Tony Ball, leader of Basildon Council, saw the ‘20’s Plenty’ idea in action while on holiday in the Cotswolds.

He accepted the county council would need to gather more evidence before it could decide whether to further reduce the speed limit.

In the meantime, he said he hoped the signs would help.

Linda Williams, Lib Dem borough councillor for Nethermayne, added: “The street needs monitoring to see if the speed limits are being obeyed.

“If they are not, I think we need to put in traffic calming measures.”