Charity Demands 20mph Speed Limit
Research carried out by UK charity Brake has uncovered overwhelming support for the introduction of a 20mph speed limit in built-up areas.
The Survey
Brake discovered that around 80% of the 1000 people that took part in the survey believe that a 20mph speed limit should be the norm around schools, homes, and city centres.
Brake also found that 4 in 5 of those surveyed believe that traffic moves too fast on local roads.
Criticism of the Demands
Pete Roberts, of the Alliance of British Drivers, believes that the introduction of such a speed limit would lead to other speed limits being undermined:
“The 20mph speed limit will be fine in estates where the roads don’t go anywhere and there are lots of people moving about.
“But on through roads it is too slow for modern cars and drivers will ignore that limit and begin to lose respect for all speed limits. The 30mph limit has been around for 70 years. Car safety and braking has improved immeasurably since then.”
However, Brake reports that in areas where a 20mph speed limit has been introduced, the number of recorded casualties has fallen: Portsmouth has seen a 22% reduction in casualties relating to Road Traffic Accidents, and Camden has experienced a 54% dip in crashes.
Brake deputy chief executive Julie Townsend commented:
to walk and cycle freely without being endangered.”
This research supports Brake’s GO 20 campaign, calling on MPs to lower the speed limit in built-up areas.
Source: View Article
