Air Quality, Covid-19 and How 20mph Limits Help Us To Breathe Easily

As a disease that dramatically affects our respiratory system it is hardly surprising that there is a link between the quality of air we breathe,  and our subsequent ability to cope with Covid-19. Here we discuss air quality and how it can be improved with an emergency national default 20mph urban limit.

Change is palpable on our streets.  Trends show a huge rise in electrically assisted transport like e-bikes. Politicians valuing health are increasingly valuing the role of walkers, e- and folding bikes and scooter riders in accessing towns sustainably.

Providing primarily for private cars isn’t smart – they’re jammed up, dangerous, dirty, climate damaging and an inefficient use of city space to drive or park.  The safe movement of people matters more than solo driver convenience. 

Global News of 20mph and 30km/h Speed Limit Progress 2019 – Blog post by Anna Semlyen, 20’s Plenty for Us National Campaign Manager Aug 2019

Blog by Anna Semlyen 20’s Plenty for Us National Campaign Manager June 2019

At the end of June, the Department for Transport (DfT) report some irrelevant statistics on speeding[1]. Note firstly that the 10 sites of 20mph roads are unrepresentative free-flow locations with no traffic calming or other speed restricting features which tend to be through-roads.  Yet most 20mph limits are side roads.

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/vehicle-speed-compliance-statistics-for-great-britain-2018