Residents Fume Over New Council Traffic Rules

4.04.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 28th Jun 2004

Residents in areas afflicted by 'rat-running' and related problems are no longer able to secure action by the council as a result of a new system of public consultation that results in the votes of those affected being swamped by those of others in areas well removed from the problem.

MP Vincent Cable has been given a petition signed by residents in Burtons Road, Hampton Hill, protesting at the decision of the council to reject a traffic management scheme to deal with a long running 'rat-run' problem:the reason being that residents, not affected were not in favour. There are worries that the new approach of the council will stop any efforts by residents to calm traffic, even where issues of safety are involved.

Vincent Cable said: "residents felt sufficiently incensed about the council's behaviour, that they have sought my support as well as the local councillors. What seems to have happened is a deliberate decision by the council to tip the balance away from residents concerned and affected by streams off fast moving traffic in residential areas. Safety and amenity are being systematically devalued. Yet the evidence from across the country shows that properly designed traffic calming schemes save lives and improve the environment. I have asked for a proper explanation of how widely consultation is now being carried and will ask the Minister of Transport whether he will establish clear guidelines to govern the consultation process in cases of this kind".