| Press Releases: |
|
|
|
The rationale for 20 mph as the default speed limit for residential streets. In Britain …… More
than half of road deaths and serious injuries occur on roads with 30 mph limits
Britain
has the highest percentage of pedestrian road fatalities in Europe 20%.
Britain has one of the lowest levels of children walking or cycling to school in Europe. Speed
limits on Britain’s urban roads are 60% higher than Europe. British parents consistently cite traffic speed as the main reason why their children are not allowed to cycle or walk to school. Lowering
urban and residential speed limits to 20 mph has been found to increase a 15
minutes car journey by just 60 seconds. Lowering urban and residential speed limits to 20 mph has been found to decrease child pedestrian accidents by 70%(Transport Research Laboratory) Recent
DfT Guidelines have relaxed the requirements for 20 mph limits in residential
areas. It is no longer mandatory to impose physical measures such as speed
bumps. In Hilden, Germany…… 24% of in town trips are made by bicycle. All residential streets have an 18.5 mph speed limit, with some reduced to 9 mph. Road side cycle tracks are being removed as the road is an even safer place for cyclists to be and is more direct and more convenient. In Britain…… In Portsmouth, and Newcastle, and Leicester and Oxford, and Hull, and Bristol, and Warrington, and Islington and many more towns, council officials are using the recent DfT Guidelines changes to introduce blanket 20 mph limits on residential streets. 80% of
the public and 75% of drivers support 20 mph as a speed limit on residential streets. It time for our residential roads to be equitably shared with all the users by setting an appropriate speed limit that protects the young and the vulnerable. The time for 20 mph as a speed limit on residential roads in Britain has come. |
|
For further details email rodk@20splentyforus.org.uk or call Rod King on 07973 639781 or Chris Mayes on 0151 706 4464 |
