Coventry councillor backs more 20mph zones in the city if a trial works

Councillor Patricia Hetherton believes the traffic calming scheme will make roads safer

Neighbourhood-wide 20mph zones could be rolled out across a city if a trial scheme is successful, a councillor in charge of road safety said.

Coventry's first "liveable neighbourhood" with a blanket 20mph limit is being introduced in Earlsdon.

Patricia Hetherton believes the traffic calming pilot will make roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

The councillor's niece was 11 when she was killed on a zebra crossing a number of years ago, just before Christmas.

"She was holding her father's hand and my nephew was on the other side," Ms Hetherton said.

"And yes, she was killed, where it should have been a safe place, a crossing in a 30mph zone and it wasn't to be."

When asked how this has shaped her life, Ms Hetherton added: "It never leaves you because you never want anyone to go through what you've gone through."

The Labour councillor said the impact such events have on families meant "you are constantly aware of it - the need for safety and prevention".

The cabinet member for city services has been working on the Earlsdon scheme to reduce the impact of traffic since 2022.

• Sunak vows to stop 20mph zones and review LTNs

• How does the new Wales-wide 20mph speed limit law work?

• Parties divided on proposed Birmingham speed limit cuts

The idea was inspired by the council in the London borough of Waltham Forest, which has covered most of its residential roads in 20mph speed limits.

Coventry City Council's answer to this was the "Earlsdon Liveable Neighbourhood" pilot scheme.

It includes a blanket 20mph zone, some no-entry roads, wider pavements, a bike-hire dock, new benches and extra pedestrian crossings at key locations.

The council was given £770,000 in grant funding from Transport for West Midlands and a cycling charity to launch it.

A public consultation on the initial plans started in 2022 and the design was changed after residents were asked to comment on the scheme again last year.

The plans were then finalised and approved by the council.

Ms Hetherton said if "it's successful and there are other areas we can take that forward then we'd love to do that elsewhere".

Paul Langdon said the blanket 20mph zone in Earlsdon would be "counterproductive"

One of the most controversial measures is the area-wide 20mph zone.

The Welsh government faced a political backlash for introducing a default 20mph limit on all restricted roads last year.

Supporters say blanket 20mph zones save lives and cut pollution but critics say they are unnecessary and make life harder for motorists.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described the Welsh policy as an "attack on motorists" and not in keeping with the "values of the British people".

Paul Langdon, 66, agreed with the prime minister.

The retired tool shop owner volunteers as a driver for a blind centre in Earlsdon and said the 20mph zone would make his job more difficult.

"I'm all for targeted speed restrictions," he said.

"However to do a blanket 20mph limit on all the roads will be counterproductive because people are going to be looking at their speedo, rather than the road."

Last year, the government said it would update guidance on 20mph zones to "prevent inappropriate blanket use" by councils in England.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said the updated guidance "will be published in due course".

Mattie Heaven, a Conservative councillor in Coventry, supported the move by ministers.

"Guidelines are important to put in place," she said.

She added it was "so critical that when we talk about it, the residents are properly engaged - we're not rushing it through".

Claire Silvester said she felt anxious about crossing the roads with her son

In Earlsdon, some residents have been calling for speed restrictions for years.

On the corner of Beechwood Avenue, a fence mangled by multiple car crashes is a visible symbol of the potential danger on the roads.

Claire Silvester lives within the new "liveable neighbourhood".

She said crossing the roads with her six-year-old son was a constant source of anxiety.

"It's very unnerving," Ms Silvester said.

"Walking out with a child can be a wonderful thing. But you're constantly vigilant for what might be coming, that noise that's coming towards you."

The council said it would start work on elements of the Earlsdon Liveable Neighbourhood soon and roll out all of the traffic measures over the next year.