The York Council had a final opportunity at its budget meeting yesterday to put a halt to unnecessary expenditure on new 20 mph signs
Since Labour took office, they have introduced 20 mph speed limit signs on an additional 11 miles of roads in South Bank and another 44 miles in west York.
947, 20 mph signs, have so far been installed with a further 1752 still to be put up – mainly in east York
Where the roads revert to a 30 mph limit, new signs have also to be installed.
So far 280 additional 30 mph signs have been installed with a further 587 still to be fitted.
So far the Council has spent over £52,000 on signs, paid out £40,000 in fixing costs with management costs accounting for a whopping £120,000 (planning, project management, professional fees).
Adding in miscellaneous expenditure, the total comes to £238,000.
A further £350,000 has yet to be committed to the programme which will roll out next in east York.
It is that money that the Council could and should, have saved at its budget meeting yesterday. Unfortunately it appears that the option slipped by.
The programme should have been suspended for at least a year to allow the effects, that the new limits so far introduced have had, to be assessed.
In other parts of the country the introduction of 20 mph limits has coincided with an increase in accident levels.
