Quiet Lanes

Road safety is something that everyone should take seriously yesterday I had the privilege of speaking with a member of the Suffolk Quiet Lanes team. Initially, this was a fact-finding opportunity to get a broader understanding of what Quiet Lanes do as well as what they cannot which will bring me onto the wider point on road safety. It is important that residents recognise what they do as many parishes across the county are adopting this initiative as well as the county councils wider pledge.

To introduce what a Quiet Lane is the main thing to establish is the group’s goals to reduce the cost facing the parishes. Now this is crucial to establishing these routes as one of these lanes may cost the parish approximately five thousand pounds as a rough guide, but by placing the burden on parishes this often racks up the cost and this is often an area that the group intends to support the parishes presently with proposals in place. Parishes currently going through the process are Monks Eleigh, Brent Eleigh, Nedging-with-Naughton as well as others. The group’s other aims are to further promote the safe and responsible use of the roads where all parties feel able to utilise the roads being able to get the best use out of them. Now whilst a benefit of Quiet Lanes would see a greater uptake of the roads by other road users its goal is to make it safer for all involved.

The group views it as a tool for reducing traffic on the road but this has to be achieved by a variety of methods not simply Quiet Lanes as a silver bullet. Noting that they work in tandem with a variety of schemes specifically Home Zones which have a more residential application. Now we can all recognise how important a clear and expansive network of Quiet Lanes could be as well as ensuring that we are all able to use them. The map attached in the second link below will give you an indication of where these roads are and the network has already seen trials running in East Suffolk in Snape and Glemsford.

Suffolk County Council has awarded two hundred and thirty-five thousand pounds of funding to invest in the scheme and the group would very much welcome the opportunity to grow the fund. Councillors from across the chamber have worked to improve road safety and reduce the levels of traffic present on our rural roads. Now like other councillors I also agree that speed limits need to reflect the nature of the roads and need to be suitable for all users and from conversations with the PCC we agreed that traffic calming is a broad issue and needs enforcement alongside reduction. Steps were taken to such as the specific targeting of HGV’s to ensure that they are taking appropriate routes. It is therefore crucial that we recognise the importance of managing the vehicles that use our road and make sure that residents are safeguarded as well as the responsible drivers. The seventh link provides cases of where lanes were adapted as well as further information about where they are suitable.

So to conclude will you agree with me that:

We should support the principle aims of quiet lanes to lower traffic levels, to maintain the tranquillity of our roads, allow us to be able to sustain the healthier lifestyle we have all enjoyed on our roads, promote environmentally friendly transport, increase the range of transport available to road users and help to tackle road dangers. Building on the hard work that various stakeholders, parishes, and councillors have put into the success of this project.

https://sites.google.com/view/quietlanessuffolk/quiet-lanes?authuser=0

https://sites.google.com/view/quietlanessuffolk/map?authuser=0

https://www.suffolkconservatives.org.uk/news/suffolk-launches-quiet-lanes-residents-enjoy-lockdown-eases

https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/eastern-region-truckwatch-donate-monry-to-tackle-lorry-crime-in-2551668

https://www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/news/suffolk-launches-quiet-lanes-for-residents-to-enjoy-as-lockdown-eases/

https://southdownsnetwork.org.uk/quiet-lanes/

https://www.cpre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/quiet_lanes_1.pdf

https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/council-news/show/quiet-lanes-suffolk-secures-funding-to-help-residents-stay-active-and-reduce-their-carbon-footprint