Following the talk at our recent Public Meeting from Friends Of the Earth regarding their campaign to reduce speed limits to 20 mph on Birmingham’s residential roads, you may have seen the subject in the news in recent days. Britain has some of the safest roads in Europe but there are government targets to reduce road accidents further. FOE will be pleased with the adoption of the new limits in some of the London Councils as reported in the Evening Standard:
“Eight London Councils have revealed they are introducing 20 mph limits on residential roads. Islington has already confirmed it will be the first borough in the country to introduce a blanket limit next month. Hackney plans to follow suit by 2012. Merton said research strengthened the case for blanket limits.
Researchers found 20mph zones were associated with 40% reduction in casualties and collisions. The greatest reduction in accidents was amongst children and seriously injured. Pedestrian injuries were reduced by nearly a third and cycling casualties by 17%. Reductions were greatest in children aged under 11.
There was no evidence of “casualty migration” to areas bordering the 20mph zones. The effect of the 20mph zones was that of a steep reduction in casualties and collisions by an amount that has taken over 20years to achieve on roads without 20mph zones. The evidence supports the rationale for 20mph zones not just in major cities but also in similar metropolitan areas elsewhere”
This information was extracted from The London Evening Standard published on Friday 11th December 2009, who in there editorial welcomed the reduction of accidents from 20mph zones. However, there was a need to find balance in the needs of all road users- including drivers, and the risk from increasing congestion and delays.
On a further interesting point; the option of using 20mph zones were discussed in council at Birmingham, back in mid 2009, were it was stated that there is a need for greater consultation around the involvement of 20mph zones, having been identified. Although there was a target to introduce 20mph zones outside every Primary School in the City and the possibility of different coloured street furniture around schools to alert drivers was being considered.
What do you think about a 20 mph speed limit on residential roads in Acocks Green? Let us know by adding your comments.
January 4, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Living Streets, who have previously spoken to our Public Meeting, also support the campaign to reduce speed limits. They are a charity that promote the needs of pedestrians. Find out more on their views – click here: http://bit.ly/56dKx7
January 3, 2010 at 3:44 pm
PS Just found this interesting letter about the health and cost benefits of increased human-powered transport, which I think was originally sent to Frank Coyne:
http://www.diabeticretinopathy.org.uk/birmingham/becycling/coynereferences3.html
“At present cycling and walking rates are reducing in Acocks Green, roads are faster than ever, traffic increasing, bus lanes are being abandoned, with massive increases in obesity and diabetes. …
“We have shown there would be great benefits of more cycling and walking to the people of Acocks Green. “
January 3, 2010 at 3:37 pm
“The effect of the 20mph zones was that of a steep reduction in casualties and collisions by an amount that has taken over 20years to achieve on roads without 20mph zones.”
I think that we should seriously look at the possible net benefits of 20 mph zones, along with all the other ideas on the table like Shared Space: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_space#United_Kingdom (“It is reported that, based on two years of ‘before and after’ monitoring, casualties fell from 71 in the period before the street was remodelled to 40 afterwards – a drop of 43%.[15]“).
As for meeting the needs of people using motor vehicles … as I said at the meeting, it isn’t the maximum speed – like a 20 mph limit – which matters for how long a trip will take you. It’s the _average_ speed that matters. It’s possible that 20 mph limits could improve the steady flow of motor traffic, and that trip times might increase by only a few minutes! We need to know …