Campaign group 20’s Plenty for Us has welcomed a move from the United Nations to back 20mph speed limits wherever pedestrians, cyclists or other vulnerable road users mix with motor vehicles.
In September, the General Assembly of the UN officially endorsed the Stockholm Declaration, described as an ‘ambitious and forward-looking’ road safety plan.
The plan sets out a vision to halve the number of road traffic deaths by 2030 – including mandating a maximum speed of 20mph in areas where “vulnerable road users and vehicles mix in a frequent and planned manner.”
It also notes that “efforts to reduce speed in general will have a beneficial impact on air quality and climate change as well as being vital to reduce road traffic deaths and injuries.”
Rod King MBE, founder and campaign director for 20’s Plenty, said: “This announcement lays the responsibility for setting safe and equitable default urban and village speed limits at national governments.
“It is no longer acceptable to have a national 30mph limit and expect local authorities to do all the work to change local limits to the accepted global standard that 20 is plenty where people walking and cycling mix with motor vehicles.
“Just like air quality, smoking in public places, child protection and seatbelt wearing and so many other issues, where we have a national consensus and value on what is right and proper, then we should set that standard nationally.”
Perceived by whom? Vulnerable road users, children, elderly, elected representatives of the people, drivers of motors, cyclists, wheelchair users, visually impaired, hearing impaired,….?
Rod King, Lymm
--50
Variable or smart speed limits may be an improvement?
If the speed limit is proportional to the perceived danger at the time who can complain?
Trevor, Sowerby
+13
I wonder exactly who Ed Phillips is referring to when he says “career building members running them”? It can’t be me because working for 15 years without any pay is not the sort of “career” I could recommend to anyone.
Its further ridiculous to say that a “20mph limits make everyone else’s lives miserable” and shows that he is completely unaware of public support for 20mph limits.
Including the 9 people agreeing with him that’s 10 people who don’t have a clue about 20mph limits, their benefits and widescale acceptance around the world.
Pat should remember that the report gained cross-party support in Senedd and is being implemented by administrations of all political colours across the UK.
But all the commenters except Alasdair are missing the point of the article that 30kmh is now accepted as global best practice by UN, WHO, OECD, FIA, etc. It already forms the key call for speed management as part of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety.
Rod King, Lymm
--102
I couldn’t decide if Hugh’s comment was intended to be ironic. Changing the attitude of 50% isn’t going to happen. In most places Default 20s will be in name only, if it ever gets on the statute books at all.
Guzzi, Newport
+7
It makes a lot of sense
Alasdair Brooks, POTTERS BAR
--53
This is stupid nonsense and the trouble with having pressure groups clearly biased against motorists with career building members running them, who spend their time making every one else’s lives miserable, yet contribute nothing to the economy beyond pushing paper and committee meetings. What kind of nanny state are we becoming? Even the electric assisted cyclists will soon be complaining. If speed was such a killer then why do the Police only record this as the cause for an RTC on only 5% of accidents?
Ed Philips, Oxford
+99
Brilliant..all we have to do now is to get those approximately 50% who currently don’t comply with 20 limits to change their attitude – only then will any benefits be seen.
Hugh Jones, Cheshire
--68
The Wales “Default 20s” task force group report released in July is the most comprehensive report I have read to date on the subject. It confirms that the implementation of a default 20 in Wales will be complex, very expensive and take several years to introduce. And will require a substantial ongoing commitment for policing. I’m sure the same would be true of the whole of the UK.
And of course it takes the political will to make it happen, including any government staying in power long enough to see it through.
Pat, Wales
+2