Better Transport

The most important thing that you can do at the start of your campaign is to plan. Doing the first thing that comes into your head may seem like it will save time, but it’s usually not very effective!

Planning doesn’t have to be a very formal process and the campaign plan doesn’t have to be a huge document. When you start the campaign, talk through the issues and the possibilities for doing something. Put your agreed ideas on paper and there’s your campaign plan. You don’t have to work everything out in minute detail and cover every possible eventually – indeed, it’s best to allow for flexibility so that you can react to events.

Campaign plan checklist
Objective: What exactly are you trying to achieve? By when? Have you done the necessary research to establish that your objective is viable?
Targets: Who has the power to make that change happen? What will persuade those people to act?
Allies: Who can help you to influence your campaign targets?
Timeline: Have you created a timeline, covering the next 6-12 months and including external events that you will need to influence, like council meetings and public consultations, as well as events whose timing you control, like meetings and press work?

Be clear about your 20mph objective
You may know already that you want a 20mph speed limit for your street but when putting together a clear campaign objective, consider the following: What about the surrounding area? Should neighbouring streets have 20mph speed limit as well? Are there local schools that should have a 20mph zone on surrounding roads? An area with a 20mph speed limit is more effective than just one road and is more likely to get support from people in neighbouring streets.

Think more widely
Could your campaign have other objectives as well?

• You may want more cycle parking, seating for elderly people or more trees in your street
• You could suggest the council create a traffic reduction target. The Road Traffic Reduction Act 1997 encourages councils to set traffic targets and draw up traffic reduction plans. Some authorities do mention traffic reduction in their local strategies
• Have you considered trying to get other traffic-calming measures besides a 20mph limit? There are lots of ways roads can be engineered to slow down traffic