Organisation
Wilsden Parish Council
Amount awarded
£26,903.71
Completed
2022
Uploaded to Knowledge Centre
24 January 2023
This project was commissioned to reduce the speed of traffic travelling through the hamlet of Harecroft, near Bradford in West Yorkshire, which has approximately 60 homes located on one road.
The road (which had a 30 mph speed limit) carries commuter traffic to and from Bradford, with in excess of 7,000 vehicles using the road daily.
By reducing traffic speed, the project team was anticipating reduced accidental vehicle collisions and property damage, which was rife, thus leading to an improvement in the perception of safety among local residents.
The road was changed to a 20 mph zone through a phased series of visual installations, which it was hoped would lead to a marked psychological impact upon drivers, helping to reinforce the need to reduce speeds through the hamlet.
Unfortunately, although the project was eventually completed, it was not carried out to the original six-month timetable; in fact the installations took twice as long as planned.
Additional incidents (vehicle damage) and machinery problems (storage capacity and downloading of speed data) led to problems in gaining continuous speed data for analysing.
The speed data obtained from this project has been analysed by Dr Samantha Jamson, Professor of Transport Psychology at the Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds, and a survey of residents has been performed.
The results are mixed, as follows:
Positive findings
- Vehicle speeds reduced after each new visual speed element was installed in both directions.
- Data also indicates that average speeds slowly reduced after each installation westbound, and for 5 of the 6 phases eastbound.
- These reductions are also evident in each of the six time periods that data was segregated into – covering super-peak to overnight.
- Compared to average speeds before the project commenced, overall average speeds show a reduction of 6.20 mph eastbound and 5.37 mph westbound.
- Post implementation resident questionnaire feedback reports that there has been no vehicle collisions or property damage since the 20 mph zone project commenced.
- Based on the above, the psychological effect on drivers through the phased installation of multiple visual deterrents has been considered successful.
Remaining concerns
Despite the overall speed reduction, vehicles significantly exceed the new 20 speed limit:
- Westbound – 89% exceed 20 mph, 41% exceed 30 mph, 5% exceed 40 mph
- Eastbound – 74% exceed 20 mph, 11% exceed 30 mph, .5% exceed 40 mph
The average speed of traffic is now:
- Westbound – 25 mph
- Eastbound – 24 mph
Post implementation resident questionnaire feedback reports no improvement in perceived safety. Residents would like to see additional deterrents (cameras by preference and/or physical restraints) being considered.
Click on the link below to read the full report:
https://www.roadsafetytrust.org.uk/small-grants-awarded/wilsden-parish-council