Kirklees Speed Limit Review engagement

Kirklees Council’s Highway Safety Team recently commissioned a separate Speed Limit Review and is currently implementing most of the recommendations. These include working with schools with the aim of helping to tackle the climate emergency by encouraging walking and cycling as alternatives to the car, primarily by improving road safety, especially for vulnerable users (around schools), and to address barriers to active travel in areas of low car ownership. 

By making sure that appropriate speed limits are in place this will help influence motorists, resulting in fewer collisions and injuries. The introduction of 20mph zones around schools and education sites also boosts connectivity to education and training opportunities, particularly for active travel users, which in turn delivers upon inclusive growth ambitions. 

A total of 35 schools and two Sure Start centres were identified close to areas where speed-related collisions occurred most frequently. We also looked at Census data to determine areas where car ownership is low and the potential benefits of improving walking and cycling scooter are greater.

Kirklees Council, in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, is putting together travel action plans for a number of schools in the area. Each school will have its own individual plan, which will include suggested measures aimed at improving safety for people travelling to and from school, and increasing the number of people walking and cycling.

These plans will be informed by a combination of transport data and through engagement with parents, pupils, staff and governors at each school, as well as with people living close by.

Feedback from this engagement will help to shape the plan.

School Travel Action Plans will identify measures to improve safety for people travelling to and from school – parents, pupils and staff. In addition, by identifying and addressing barriers that prevent people from choosing to walk or cycle, we can encourage people to choose more active travel options, resulting in improved air quality and healthier lifestyles.

Overall, local communities will benefit from reduced traffic congestion with fewer speed-related collisions, lower air pollution, and safer and more fit-for-purpose walking and cycling routes.

We plan to install and monitor action plans at up to three schools to improve road safety and encourage active travel for school trips. Measures could include restrictions outside school gates, new 20mph speed limits, traffic calming measures such as speed bumps or new crossings, or repaired or upgraded routes, such as footpaths and pavements.

The proposed measures will be individual to each school based on transport data we collect and from feedback from these engagements.

It’s difficult to say at this stage as it will depend on feedback and the types of measures identified. However, School Travel Action Plans will need to be approved through the West Yorkshire Combined Authority's assurance process, which determines where and when money is invested in the region. The detailed action plans will support the case for change and form the basis of the funding asks in future. The Kirklees Speed Limit Review scheme also has funding to implement the results of up to three action plans as part of this project.