All new urban roads to get 20mph speed limits
January 30, 2023 by Hugo Griffiths
Car changing is a big deal
Draft Department for Transport document also says 鈥渟ignificantly lower speeds usually desirable鈥 in new residential areas
New and redesigned residential and urban roads should get 20mph rather than 30mph speed limits by default, guidance from the Department for Transport has recommended.
A draft version of the DfT鈥檚 鈥楳anual for Streets鈥 planning document, seen by the Sunday Times, says that 鈥淭he default should be to work to a design speed limit of 20mph in urban environments鈥, and that 鈥渇or residential streets, a maximum design speed of 20mph should normally be an objective, with significantly lower speeds usually desirable鈥.
The document is due to be published later this year, and follows a trend that has seen many areas in London set 20mph as the default speed limit on residential roads, with the Welsh government implementing a similar policy from September 2023.
Road bosses are keen on 20mph zones for the safety benefits they are perceived to bring, with research indicating that 5% of pedestrians hit at 20mph die, compared to 50% at 30mph. Other studies have indicated that a 1mph drop in average traffic speed correlates with a 5% to 6% drop in injury-causing collisions.
Lower speeds also bring with them less noise from tyres and the airflow disruption caused by moving vehicles, potentially improving the quality of life for residents.
Speed-limit compliance for 20mph roads is almost non-existent, however, with Government data showing 87% of cars exceed them when traffic is free-flowing, compared to 49% compliance for 30mph zones.
A spokesperson for the DfT told the Sunday Times: 鈥淭here are no plans to introduce default or national 20 mph speed limits in urban environments. We have always encouraged road designs that enable low speeds to prioritise safety. It is for local authorities to consider setting 20 mph speed limits on streets where people and traffic mix.鈥
The RAC, meanwhile, cautioned that default 20mph zones bring with them requirements for enormous behavioural change, explaining: 鈥溾淓very single person who took their driving test in this country was taught that it鈥檚 30mph in a built-up area. If you are going to change that, don鈥檛 underestimate the extent to which you鈥檙e going to have to make sure you鈥檝e told them, whether by signs, advertising or news coverage.鈥