If it’s a good idea for Buxton, why is it a bad idea for Ashbourne?

20 mph limit proposed for Buxton but rejected for Ashbourne

It seems that a strategy for reducing air pollution in Ashbourne that was rejected by Derbyshire County Council (DCC) last year has now been proposed by the same council for possible implementation in Buxton!

An article by Eddie Bisknell in DerbyshireLive has revealed that a report for DCC, set to be discussed by cabinet on Thursday, January 12, states that the proposed speed reduction "provides an opportunity to make a positive impact on the urban environment".

Cllr Kewal Singh Athwal, the Conservative cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "…..we think that a 20 mph limit could improve health by improving air quality."

In contrast the Ashbourne Air Quality Management Area Action Plan Preparation report, written by Alan Marsden for the County Council, specifically rejected the idea of 20mph speed limits, stating "The Council's guidance currently only prioritises a sparing introduction of 20mph zones where they are primarily focused on tackling an evidenced casualty issue, rather than for environmental reasons."

What is responsible for this change of policy? Is it possible that Cllr Athwal has read that air pollution is responsible for 1000 excess deaths each year in Derby and Derbyshire?

You can very easily be a casualty of road traffic without it having to hit you. Just live on a busy road with a large number of HGVs passing by and breathe in the pollutants.