Cardiff Greens - If this saves just one childs life it will be worth it!

‘If this saves just one child’s life then it will be worth it...’

http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/wales-news/2007/11/30/if-this-saves-just-one-child-s-life-then-it-will-be-worth-it-91466-20183897/

Nov 30 2007 by Phillip Nifield, South Wales Echo

GREEN campaigners have launched a drive for 20mph speed limits to be introduced across Cardiff.

Cardiff Green Party’s “20’s Plenty” campaign is aimed at persuading the city’s council to follow the lead of authorities such as Portsmouth, where 85 per cent of its residential roads will have the reduced speed limit by the end of this year.

Parents living in the Canton area have given their support to efforts to slow down traffic on residential streets.

Jake Griffiths, secretary of Cardiff Green Party, said: “Most of us want to live in a quiet, pleasant street, a safe street in which children can play out alone.

“Nobody wants to live in a hostile street which you cannot walk across thanks to fast-moving traffic or one that is an occasional racetrack.

“When traffic is slowed, existing 20mph zones show that people begin to enjoy their environments and use local amenities more.

“If this campaign results in the saving of child’s life or from having a serious accident in Cardiff it will have been worth it.

“It could also significantly improve the prospect of Cardiff being able to achieve its target of increasing people cycling in the city and reducing the levels of childhood obesity.”

Mum Sarah Manners, who has boys aged three and eight and lives in Canton, said: “I think it is long overdue and would support it.

“Child safety is really important. Certainly vehicles speeding through residential streets does not encourage parents to let their children walk to school, although I do.

“We need tightening up on speed limits and stiffer penalties for those who break them.”

Fellow Canton mum Eirian Rees, who also has two children, added: “I live in a block end street, but we still get motorists reversing down at high speed in frustration when they find they cannot get through. Action is needed to slow down traffic.”

phillip.nifield@mediawales.co.uk

http://www.greenparty.org.uk/