Exeter’s Green Party councillor, Diana Moore, has responded to plans by Devon County Council for creating safer walking and cycling routes as lockdown measures are eased. She says these “fall considerably short of the expectations that many in Exeter have in order to make roads slower and safer.”
Last month the government called on Local Authorities to take measures to reallocate road space to people walking and cycling, both to encourage active travel and to enable social distancing. Devon County Council received £338,000 worth of funding for this, with the potential for a further £1.4 million for more permanent schemes. In a letter to transport planners at Devon County Council, Cllr Moore says:
“I welcome these measures, however feel they fall considerably short of the expectations that many in Exeter have in order to make roads slower and safer. As well as taking part in online meetings with stakeholders calling for a comprehensive and much bolder set of measures, I have received many emails from residents who want to see real ambition for safer and slower streets and active travel.”
Greens have repeated their call for Exeter to become a 20mph city. Cllr Moore said:
“Many residents have complained about the increased speeds of traffic and I would ask you to implement a 20mph zone across the whole of the city on every road with residential property on it, in order to make roads safer.”
Cllr Diana Moore also criticised the lack of information for those with disabilities. She said:
“There is no information about how these measures will be able to be navigated by people with disabilities. People who use electric buggies need to be accommodated in their own right as well as ensuring there is a space for cyclists and walkers who need to be sharing the space with them.”