Alan Gleave asked candidates for Kent Police Commissioner
elections on Thursday 15th November:
"What are your plans for tackling speeding?"
Replis so far from Craig Mackinlay, Ann Barnes.
Subject: Your plans for tackling speeding, please
Dear Candidate,
I represent the Deal Cycling Forum, which is developing links with local Chambers of Commerce, Parent Teachers Associations, and the people of Deal generally, through a planned public meeting. I know myself as a resident of Deal that there is much dissatisfaction in many quarters of the town because the problem of controlling the speed of motor traffic is not being properly addressed at the moment by our police..
Our approach to ameliorating the situation, and promoting the safety of the pedestrians, cyclists - and motorists - of Deal has two aspects. I understand that you feel you may be able to make only limited comment with regard to the first aspect of our campaign which is primarily a matter for local politicians; but nevertheless you might well be consulted, and so we are very interested in knowing your views... I refer to our campaign to introduce a 20 mph speed limit throughout Deal, proceeding zone by zone. Deal has many narrow streets, many pedestrians passing on narrow pavements, and a culture of laissez-faire when it comes to "controlling" speed. What is your attitude, and would you be a supporter of our attempt to protect the non-motorised?
As for the second aspect of our campaign - well, you, if you were to become police commissioner, would play a crucial role. It is about rigorously upholding the law... What priority would you give the proper enforcement of the current legally-binding 30 mph speed limit, especially on our arterial roads, often busy with pedestrians and cyclists, and at certain times with school-children who sometimes behave self-forgetfully - as school-children always have and always will?
Do we not need a change of culture, encouraging respect for human life, recognising that it can be snuffed out in a careless false move? By contrast we need be much less permissive towards the self-indulgent, tunnel-visioned speeding motorist, who can't be bothered to get up five minutes earlier, or even recognise the frail reality and vulnerability of fellow human beings not protected by delusion-inducing tons of pitiless metal and glass.
Do you, or do you not, agree with the gravamen of what is expressed in this letter? And what would you do about the casual, potentially lethal speeding which blights Deal - and no doubt many another Kent town?
Yours faithfully,
Alan R. Gleave,
Dear Candidate,
I represent the Deal Cycling Forum, which is developing links with local Chambers of Commerce, Parent Teachers Associations, and the people of Deal generally, through a planned public meeting. I know myself as a resident of Deal that there is much dissatisfaction in many quarters of the town because the problem of controlling the speed of motor traffic is not being properly addressed at the moment by our police..
Our approach to ameliorating the situation, and promoting the safety of the pedestrians, cyclists - and motorists - of Deal has two aspects. I understand that you feel you may be able to make only limited comment with regard to the first aspect of our campaign which is primarily a matter for local politicians; but nevertheless you might well be consulted, and so we are very interested in knowing your views... I refer to our campaign to introduce a 20 mph speed limit throughout Deal, proceeding zone by zone. Deal has many narrow streets, many pedestrians passing on narrow pavements, and a culture of laissez-faire when it comes to "controlling" speed. What is your attitude, and would you be a supporter of our attempt to protect the non-motorised?
As for the second aspect of our campaign - well, you, if you were to become police commissioner, would play a crucial role. It is about rigorously upholding the law... What priority would you give the proper enforcement of the current legally-binding 30 mph speed limit, especially on our arterial roads, often busy with pedestrians and cyclists, and at certain times with school-children who sometimes behave self-forgetfully - as school-children always have and always will?
Do we not need a change of culture, encouraging respect for human life, recognising that it can be snuffed out in a careless false move? By contrast we need be much less permissive towards the self-indulgent, tunnel-visioned speeding motorist, who can't be bothered to get up five minutes earlier, or even recognise the frail reality and vulnerability of fellow human beings not protected by delusion-inducing tons of pitiless metal and glass.
Do you, or do you not, agree with the gravamen of what is expressed in this letter? And what would you do about the casual, potentially lethal speeding which blights Deal - and no doubt many another Kent town?
Yours faithfully,
Alan R. Gleave,
REPLY from the Conservative candidate, Craig Mackinlay
Dear Mr Gleave
Thank you for taking the time to contact me. Your concerns for cyclists and motorists are very well founded and I support absolutely your call for speed limits to be properly enforced. Death through speeding is eminently avoidable.
I am not broadly in favour of blanket 20mph speeds in towns, high expectations would lead to widespread disappointment on enforcement which would then be demanded on hundreds more miles of roads across Kent. I would prefer to see a sensible appraisal of safety and appropriate speed limits, lower where appropriate but more importantly that there is enforcement of these areas.
Regards Craig Mackinlay
Conservative Candidate
Thank you for taking the time to contact me. Your concerns for cyclists and motorists are very well founded and I support absolutely your call for speed limits to be properly enforced. Death through speeding is eminently avoidable.
I am not broadly in favour of blanket 20mph speeds in towns, high expectations would lead to widespread disappointment on enforcement which would then be demanded on hundreds more miles of roads across Kent. I would prefer to see a sensible appraisal of safety and appropriate speed limits, lower where appropriate but more importantly that there is enforcement of these areas.
Regards Craig Mackinlay
Conservative Candidate
Comments from Forum members
Dear Mr Mackinlay
I have just read your answer to Mr Gleave re speed limits in towns etc. It appears to be a non answer and entirely out of step with what is occuring in other authorities and with current thinking on speed limits. It is certainly way behind what happens in much of continental Europe, where cycling is a much safer activity that it is here.
I look forward to seeing the reply from the Labour candidate and hope he is rather better informed than you appear to be.
Regards
Eleanor Inch
------------------------------
Dear Ms Inch
I felt that it was an honest explanation of my views, you will receive that from me at all times, not the usual political answer of telling you what you might like to hear. The issue of speed control would be, at best, very obliquely in the control of the PCC in any event.
Regards
Craig Mackinlay
Conservative Candidate
------------------------------
It seems Craig MacKinley has very much missed the point on how blanket 20 mph is enforced. Recently there was a meeting between the Association of Chief Police Officers and they came out in favour of blanket 20 mph and also recognised that having an area wide scheme was potentially self enforcing and the police are able to use a light touch approach to enforcing. Reading between the lines I don’t think he has really thought about or researched the issues and the benefits to society and more importantly life!. Perhaps thinking out of the box is a little to much for prospective Police Commissioner. By the way I think Alan’s letter is absolutely marvellous. Perhaps we should put it on the Spokes website along with any answering letters.
Steve Fawke
------------------------------
Well we wont vote for him will we ?!!!!!!!
Rosie Rechter
I have just read your answer to Mr Gleave re speed limits in towns etc. It appears to be a non answer and entirely out of step with what is occuring in other authorities and with current thinking on speed limits. It is certainly way behind what happens in much of continental Europe, where cycling is a much safer activity that it is here.
I look forward to seeing the reply from the Labour candidate and hope he is rather better informed than you appear to be.
Regards
Eleanor Inch
------------------------------
Dear Ms Inch
I felt that it was an honest explanation of my views, you will receive that from me at all times, not the usual political answer of telling you what you might like to hear. The issue of speed control would be, at best, very obliquely in the control of the PCC in any event.
Regards
Craig Mackinlay
Conservative Candidate
------------------------------
It seems Craig MacKinley has very much missed the point on how blanket 20 mph is enforced. Recently there was a meeting between the Association of Chief Police Officers and they came out in favour of blanket 20 mph and also recognised that having an area wide scheme was potentially self enforcing and the police are able to use a light touch approach to enforcing. Reading between the lines I don’t think he has really thought about or researched the issues and the benefits to society and more importantly life!. Perhaps thinking out of the box is a little to much for prospective Police Commissioner. By the way I think Alan’s letter is absolutely marvellous. Perhaps we should put it on the Spokes website along with any answering letters.
Steve Fawke
------------------------------
Well we wont vote for him will we ?!!!!!!!
Rosie Rechter
From Ann Barnes, Independent candidate
Hi Alan, You seem to have slipped through the hundreds of e-mails I get a day - so sorry to keep you waiting for a reply.
Speed kills on roads, my sister for one, so am very happy to work with any community with regard to traffic/speeding matters - it's a local decison , but itneeds help from all partners not just the police.
Hope this helps,
Ann
Speed kills on roads, my sister for one, so am very happy to work with any community with regard to traffic/speeding matters - it's a local decison , but itneeds help from all partners not just the police.
Hope this helps,
Ann