Tory council leader Anna Bailey – with a failed attempt behind her to curb illegal parking in Ely – hopes her 2,724 signature petition to review the city’s 20mph speed restriction will be more successful. Cllr Bailey, leader of East Cambridgeshire District Council, refuses to introduce civil parking enforcement and has spent three years trying to persuade police to allow uniformed volunteers to take on parking enforcement and speeding.
So far the scheme – which would equip volunteers with body armour and headwear and will carry body cameras and police radios – remains untried but in the meantime a 20mph speed limit, initiated by City of Ely Council, has been introduced.
And despite towns and villages across Cambridgeshire queuing for limited county council funding to implement such schemes, Cllr Bailey fumes that its introduction to Ely was unfair.
Months of campaigning against the 20mph limit for Ely comes to a fruition on Tuesday when she will present her petition to the county council highways and transport committee.
Cllr Bailey’s petition supports 20mph speed limits in places such as outside schools and in high pedestrian areas “where the evidence shows it is needed and will improve road safety”.
But it adds: “We do not support the use of blanket 20mph zones like that imposed in Ely in March 2024.
“The consultation was poorly executed, and where thousands of people that stood to be affected were unaware of the proposal and wide community support was not demonstrated.”
The petition alleges the decision to implement the Ely 20mph zone was taken by a single officer of Cambridgeshire County Council in a ‘delegated decision meeting’ in consultation with the two Lib Dem county councillors for Ely was wrong.
“We believe that such a decision should be taken by elected politicians in an open and transparent manner in a meeting that is open to the public to attend,” says the petition.
“We call on Cambridgeshire County Council to reconsider the locations for 20mph speed limits in Ely, taking into account new Government guidance, and to properly evidence its proposals.
“This should also take into consideration whether and what type of on road engineering solutions are required in locations proposed for 20mph speed limits in order to secure maximum possible compliance.”
Cllr Bailey wants Cambridgeshire County Council to carry out a “new comprehensive and well publicised consultation on the proposals in accordance with Government guidance”.
In a social media post Cllr Bailey says she received “more correspondence on this subject than any other in 17 years of being a local councillor. Of course, I have to respond to that – it is my job.
“The idea, as the petition sets out, is to have a review, following the guidance that is in place, and then to go back to the people with a well promoted consultation”.
In 2023 created an annual 20mph funding programme to install either 20mph zones or limits countywide.
More than 80 applications were received from local communities.
The council narrowed to this 20 schemes which were “approved for delivery”.
Yearly additions are being approved within a county council approved budget stream.
Cllr Bailey will have difficulty persuading the county council its consultation was in any way unfair.
More than 120 people wrote in support of the reduced speed limit – with 65 writing to object to the plans.
Cambridgeshire County Council criticised for ‘poor’ consultation over Ely 20mph limit
The county council says the scheme was put forward by local councillors on behalf of the community “in response to the county council’s call for 20mph schemes”. Funding came from the Transforming Cities Fund.
The county council says a consultation for the proposal of a 20mph speed limit for the whole of Ely started in July 2023 and, following an extension, the consultation period closed on 21 September.
A spokesperson said: “The Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) procedure is a statutory consultation process, and 195 responses were received – 65 objected to the proposals, 122 were in support and eight were neutral.
“There was little support for the installation of speed cushions.”
Brilliant response by @CambsCC Cllr Piers Coutt (LD) to @Conservatives criticism of 20mph limit in Ely. Checks other local consultations and blows apart criticism by @AnnaBailey_Ely re Ely using #Mepal crematorium as classic example of 'consultation' pic.twitter.com/I4WCmKzTRs
— John Elworthy (@johnelworthy) May 21, 2024
Cllr Piers Coutts, local councillor for Ely South at Cambridgeshire County Council, said both he and Cllr Alison heard from many residents about the plans were excited about the changes they would bring to the lives of everyone in the city.
“It is clear from a variety of sources on the benefits in terms of improved road safety and reduced pollution,” he said.
CambsNews reported in August 2023 a claim by Liberal Democrats that they were banned from handing out leaflets on Ely Market – run by East Cambridgeshire Council’s trading arm – explaining a new 20mph speed limit proposed for the city.
A month earlier the consultation was launched for a 20mph speed limit for the whole of Ely.
It was due to close on 24th August, but following local feedback and the summer holidays, City of Ely Council extended the consultation period until 21st September 2023.
Cllr Alex Beckett, chair of the highways and transport committee at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “Speed kills. Studies have shown even a 1mph drop in speed reduces collisions by 6%.
“Reducing speed limits from 30mph to 20mph can cut pollution by 30% and reduce the chance of a severe or fatal injury in the event of a collision by a staggering 60%.
“This is why it’s important we continue to create more 20mph areas.”
