Leicester Council's 20mph Zones: Safety vs. Concerns

0:00It's April 24th. This is Lester News today, AI-powered stories from your city. Lester City Council is rolling out 20-mile per hour speed limits and speed bumps on more than 20 streets in the Braunstone South area. The goal is to boost safety for pedestrians and cyclists near homes, schools, and shops. This includes spots like oddly-end and Mortimer Way, with work set to kick off later this year. The project costs around 2.75,000 pounds from the transport budget. In consultation, they sent out over 1,600 surveys, but only about 200 came back. Still, 77% backed the slower speeds, and 71% okayed the bumps in other fixes. Residents are split, with some feeling trapped by the changes. One woman worries it'll keep her injured husband housebound, dodging bumps everywhere. Others gripe about damaged cars, harder driving, more pollution from stop-star traffic, and cash better spent on kids' parks instead. A few neighbors push back on those pollution fears, saying the council promises lower

1:02emissions and cleaner air overall. A retired driving instructor doubts it'll slow speeders much, since habits die hard and will used to be 30-mile per hour roads. Counselor Jeff Whittle calls it a smart fit, after chatting with locals and businesses. While the bays heat up, these zones aim to cut risks around primary schools, where cars fly by too fast.