Locals called the new road markings ‘ridiculous’
A new speed limit of just 10mph has been introduced by a North London council, sparking a mixed reaction among locals. Islington Council has implemented the restriction on St John Street, just north of Smithfield Market.
The Labour-run authority stated that the limit will only apply while roadworks – expected to last for six months – are in place. However, some have criticised the move.
Jay, 56, who chose not to disclose his surname, said: “It’s a joke, it’s ridiculous. In London, [speed limits] are a liberty. Twenty mile an hour, they’re blocking off all the roads, you just can’t get around. If you’re driving, it’s a joke.”
Local resident Phil Cudlipp, 68, says he already struggles to ride his Harley-Davidson at 20mph, let alone 10mph, as it stalls. Phil said: “I walk everywhere now – there’s nowhere to park my bike nine times out of ten. With all these restrictions, it’s just not a viable option. If I was going long distance it’d be fine.”
He added: “If it was 30 in the past, why isn’t it still the same? It don’t add up to me. At 10 mph, straight away people are going to be going slower, so they’re going to pile up behind each other. At traffic lights there’ll be a lot more people sitting there and that means there’s a lot more cars ticking over going nowhere.”
Vicky Cox, 47, is worried about emissions. She said: “10 miles is a bit excessive, given 20 is slow enough, right? I don’t think it’s very well advertised, because most people will be going 20 and still think 20. I think it’s bloody well low. I get that they go on about emissions, but surely the slower cars go the more emissions are kicking up.”
A road safety charity published a report earlier this year recommending that the speed limit on roads with a prevalence of pedestrians, such as outside schools or hospitals, should be cut to 10mph. The report also recommended that speeds on single carriageways across the country be cut to 20mph.
However, this suggestion sparked a backlash in some quarters – with one London taxi driver calling it “ridiculous”.
St John Street – which usually has a 20mph limit – runs from Angel tube station to Smithfield Market in its entirety. However, the new limit only applies to a small section – and some people were less objecting.
Data engineer Matt Simmons, 30, said: “I like the idea, I think this is already a very pedestrianised area. There’s tonnes of cyclists in this area, people delivering stuff and manoeuvring all over, so I think it might make it a bit safer.”
Friends Laura Keller, 60, and Cat Turlier, 54, were divided on the 10mph limit.
Foster carer Laura said: “I love it, I drive in a lot of 20mph zones. Even though it’s a big adjustment, I think it makes sense, but yeah – 10 miles, bring it on.”
However, friend Cat Turlier, 54, had a different opinion. She said: “You could cycle faster, I could run it faster. That taxi [passing by] is going at least 20, if not more. It’s going to be hard to enforce. I would just like to hope it would actually be applied to cyclists. You see cyclists going through red lights, cyclists ignoring everything. If you’re going to apply it, it needs to apply to cyclists.”
In a separate conversation, Kayk Panch, who runs Bhavini’s Newsagent & Off Licence, expressed that the roadworks were causing a dip in his sales.
He stated: “Normally we get builders and cab drivers stopping here. At the moment we’re struggling, we’re losing the parking, losing the business at the moment. This is going to go for six to seven months, we’re around 25 per cent down at the moment.”
He added: “Less people are coming because this road is blocked. It’s going to be continuing for six months, but business will go down. Around Christmas and January is always quiet. That will make a big difference.”
Islington Council clarified that the 10mph speed limit is only temporary while construction workers install a new cycle track, rain gardens, trees, and planting to the road.
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