Melton Lane speed reduction - NCC decision

To all signatories,

Firstly, thank you to everyone who took the time to sign this petition who recognise the risks and issues to multiple users of Melton Lane and the dangers they face due to speeding motorists. 

It has taken many months, and Notts County Council Transport Strategy department have made their decision which has ultimately been signed off by the Notts CC Cabinet Member responsible for Transport and Environment. Despite many hundreds of various users and local community members signing the petition, Notts County Council have refused the request in the petition to reduce the speed limit on Melton Lane to 30mph. Following their initial refusal of this request, I made several attempts to make them consider alternatives such as proper footpaths and interactive speed signs, unfortunately this was also to no avail.  

Notts County Council set out a number of considerations in their assessment which I will outline below, but frankly to me, their assessments seem to be a combination of ill considered, ill thought through and fundamentally flawed judgements, ultimately it would seem that until there are multiple serious injuries or fatalities that are recorded via the Police, they will not make any changes to make Melton Lane safer for all users. 

Notts County Council Transport Strategy department assessment decision was based on the following points:

• Melton Lane is categorised as a category C rural road and the national guidance was used to state "Given the rural character of Melton Lane, compliance with a 30mph speed limit would likely
  be poor and would require regular enforcement. Taking this into account, alongside the
  factors outlined above and the DfT’s guidance, the existing 40mph speed limit is considered
  to be the most appropriate speed limit for the road at present." 
• "Provision of a footway – The potential for providing a footway along Melton Lane was
  considered, given the absence of existing pedestrian facilities. However, the Council
  receives far more requests for footways and footpaths than it is able to fund, due to the high
  cost of providing new facilities. Investment in such infrastructure is therefore focussed on
  locations that offer the greatest strategic benefit and value for money, such as routes to
  education and employment sites, and key services such as shops, GP surgeries and hospitals. A footway along Melton Lane would provide limited strategic benefit and due to
  the extents required, it would likely be very costly relative to the number of potential users.
  For these reasons, a new footway is not being progressed for further investigation at this
  time."
• "A previous review of collisions along the route identified a pattern involving cyclists
  as between 1 January 2020 and 30 September 2025 (the last recent five full years plus data
  to September 2025), there were three reported injury collisions along Melton Lane, all
  involving pedal cyclists who sustained serious injuries. Police records indicate that speed
  was not a contributory factor in these incidents. A signing scheme, to warn drivers of cyclists,
  has therefore been included in the 2026/27 Integrated Transport Programme."

My thoughts on their assessment are that:

• The application of national guidance is wholly inconsistent given there are many local examples of other locations with similar road layouts, housing and road usage which does have 30mph limits in force, for example Ratcliffe-on-Soar, New Kingston and Bradmore, on the A60. 
• Their argument that low compliance with the 30mph limit without additional enforcement is frankly staggering. 
• When pushed on the option for an interactive speed sign, they stated that a previous survey had indicated that there was an insufficient number of vehicles using Melton Lane to warrant a sign. The survey they quoted was from September 2020, which was at the height of 'Lock Down' which the UK Government own data shows a 60% reduction in traffic levels. Notts County Council has chosen to disregard this fact when highlighted to them.
• The same 2020 survey showed that 15% of drivers were travelling at 48mph or higher and Notts County Council would not provide the answer to the question, what was the highest recorded speed. I highlighted to them, it was this 15% who are the major cause of concern, again no acknowledgement to this statement. 
• Notts County Council Transport Strategy department have identified that a number of cyclists have been seriously injured, so they plan to erect some warning signs. It is good that there has been some level of recognition, but this seems a very weak response and I fear it will bring little comfort, benefit or improved safety to the cycling community. 

The bottom line is that unless as a community we actively report near misses and incidents on Melton Lane to the Police and god forbid people are hurt/killed, then it would seem unlikely anything will change. 

Again, thank you for the support you provided,

kind regards,

Nigel Bates MBE