Transport Safety Policy - Worcestershire County Council

2.3.1 The Speed Management Strategy for Worcestershire aims to balance the needs of traffic flowwith the safety of all road users by applying consistent and coherent speed management policythroughout the county. This will be achieved through the setting of appropriate speed limits andby encouraging drivers and riders, by the use of engineering, education and enforcement, to travelwithin those speed limits at a level appropriate to the environment and prevailing conditions. Thestrategy arises from the Department for Transport Circular 01/2006 which requires all localtransport authorities to undertake a speed limit review of all A & B class roads by 2011. The Circularalso sets out the need for a Speed Management Strategy.2.3.2 The aim of the speed management strategy is to:Set appropriate speed limits on all roads within Worcestershire.Encourage drivers and riders to travel within those speed limits and at a level appropriate tothe immediate environment and prevailing conditions.Establish a monitoring system to review and measure performance.Improve the quality of life in local communities.Ensure efficient flow of traffic throughout the county in line with the Traffic ManagementAct.2.3.3 The benefits of an effective speed management strategy are:To reduce collisions and casualties, in terms of both numbers and severity.To improve the quality of life in local communities.To encourage modal shift to greater use of sustainable modes of transport (walking, cycling,motorised 2 wheelers, horse riding) by reducing the risk to all road users.To create a safer and calmer traffic environment by reducing excessive and inappropriatespeed.To improve driver behaviour.To create a positive attitude to the effects of speed by all road usersTo reduce the demand upon the Health Service and other public services2.3.4 The strategy sets out Worcestershire’s policies for setting speed limits for:A & B roads – urban and ruralUnclassified roads20mph zonesResidential roads