Commonswood School Celebrates first new 20 mph Zone in Hertfordshire
Teachers and pupils at Commonswood Primary and Nursery School have been the first in the county to celebrate a new 20 mph zone, which has been made possible from £7 million of new funding available for such schemes.
Proposals on a new zone for The Commons, Welwyn Garden City, earlier in the year were supported by 90% of responses received to the consultation.
The new 20 mph zone was officially opened on Thursday 19 October by Cllr Phil Bibby and children from the school. 20 mph areas aim to improve road safety, create calmer streets and encourage more walking, wheeling and cycling.
Four other schemes in Hatfield Garden Village, Salisbury Village, Welham Green and Cuffley have all been open to consultation in recent months, with reponses now being considered as to whether each one should be progressed or not.
Modeshift Chair, Ross Butcher said:
‘The evidence from around the world on 20mph zones is very clear and substantiated, they reduce collisions, save lives, and reduce injuries. They can also improve quality of life, making our streets and local communities safer for all and increasing levels of walking and cycling. Commonswood School have demonstrated support for their own local 20mph scheme which is a reflection of their ongoing work and commitment to growing levels of sustainable travel. Achieving and sustaining their STARS Excellent Accreditation is a fantastic achievement and I look forward to seeing more schools in Hertfordshire doing their bit for pupils, parents, staff, and the wider community.’
Phil Bibby Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at Hertfordshire County Council said, “Children are amongst the biggest beneficiaries of our 20mph programme as it makes walking, wheeling and cycling to school a more pleasant and fun experience for them.
“It’s important that we consult locally on each scheme and I’d encourage as many residents to respond as possible. We only want to proceed with those schemes that have the necessary support within the local community.”
Mrs Seymour, Head Teacher at Commonswood Primary and Nursery School said, “Our priority is to ensure our children are happy, healthy and safe. A 20mph area helps with all of these objectives, so we as a school are very supportive of the scheme.”
The new 20 mph zone follows on from the completion of work at Digswell Park Road which has seen the introduction of new walking and cycling facilities. The improvements, featuring new crossings, offer a safer and more convenient route along Digswell Park Road and connect into existing shared-use paths, providing onward connections to Knightsfield, Welwyn Garden City town centre, Welwyn North and the surrounding countryside.
For further details on 20 mph schemes in Hertfordshire visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/20mph
