Havering Council has pledged to investigate concerns raised by residents regarding speeding in St Albans Ward, following a petition presented by Councillor Jane Keane during a full council meeting on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. The petition, submitted by the Rompford St Albans Action Team, highlighted that the council was not meeting its targets for reducing serious injuries caused by road traffic incidents. Councillor Keane urged the council to implement measures to curb speeding and prevent further serious injuries or fatalities.
Councillor Barry Muggleston, Cabinet Member for Environment and Deputy Mayor of Havering, addressed the concerns, explaining the council's approach to speed reduction. He noted that while Havering Council receives funding from Transport for London (TfL) for such measures, specific locations require a robust evidence base to trigger targeted engineering interventions. Currently, collision data for Manor Road, Princess Road, and Park Lane does not indicate a concentration of personal injury accidents that would ordinarily warrant such measures.
To further assess the situation, the council will conduct a traffic counting survey to monitor vehicle speeds. If this survey identifies a speeding issue, the Metropolitan Police will be engaged through the TfL Metropolitan Police Vision Zero Police Enforcement request process. Councillor Muggleston also highlighted a targeted 20mph programme, which focuses on locations where there is clear evidence that lower speed limits address a local need and where proposals are supported by residents and local councillors. He emphasised that this is a resident-driven initiative, with schemes being developed based on local demand and support.
Councillor Judith Holt inquired about the possibility of modifying the criteria for evidence. Councillor Muggleston encouraged the submission of validation forms for consideration, stating that officers would review any proposed schemes. He reiterated that while the council can implement traffic calming measures based on evidence and resident support, the enforcement of speed limits remains the responsibility of the police.
The Rompford St Albans Action Team's petition was passed to the appropriate services for attention. While the next steps for the action team are not explicitly detailed, the council's commitment to monitoring speeds and engaging the Metropolitan Police if a speeding issue is identified suggests a clear path forward for addressing the concerns raised.
For more information on council proceedings, refer to the Public reports pack 18th-Mar-2026 19.30 Council.
