Road casualty figures for England are to be released by the Department for Transport on Thursday. These will show 15,000 more people killed or injured than if England has followed the examples of Wales and Scotland and set 20mph as a norm in towns and villages.

After converting over 90% of its 30mph roads to 20mph, Wales saw 25% fewer people being killed or injured[1]. With 60,000 people killed or injured on 30mph roads in England, reducing the speed limit to 20mph on most of those roads would mean 15,000 fewer casualties each year.

And it’s hurting drivers’ pockets as well. According to esure, Welsh drivers are paying on average £45 less than they would have been without the change in speed limits. Areas that are yet to adopt 20mph as standard in England are not benefitting from the reduced crash rates that have enabled this[2]. With 43m motor vehicles registered in England, reduced insurance premiums could mean a £2bn a year saving in cost of living for drivers and overheads for businesses[3].

Adrian Berendt, Director, 20’s Plenty for Us CIC commented

“Road casualty figures are flatlining in England. Implementing 20mph is the lowest hanging fruit to reduce them dramatically. Wales has shown the way in making communities safer. Scotland is implementing 20mph as a national urban/village norm. England should now follow suit, with a policy which saves lives and reduces drivers’ insurance costs by £2bn.

We congratulate Welsh and Scottish politicians, local authority representatives and community leaders who called for and implemented 20mph as an urban/village norm. We urge UK national and local government to do the same as a foundational initiative for England in the forthcoming Road Safety Strategy to bring it in-line with the rest of the UK.”

esure’s Peter Martin-Simon, Chief Customer Officer, said:

“We continue to see the benefits in places where 20mph speed limits have been introduced. Not only does this make roads safer for drivers and pedestrians, but an extension would also materially reduce the number of road collisions, as well as the severity and cost of those collisions.”

ENDS

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Notes to Editors

• 20’s Plenty for Us CIC (company number 15510973) supports communities throughout the UK and internationally who want their place to be a better place to be. Its vision is for a 20mph speed limit wherever people and motor vehicles mix, with 30mph targeted where it’s evidentially safe for vulnerable road users.
• 20’s Plenty for Us CIC is non-party political and receives no governmental funding.
• For more information about 20’s Plenty for Us, please visit our website https://www.20splenty.org/ or email [email protected]

[1] StatsWales website

[2] https://www.20splenty.org/welsh_accidental_damage_claims

[3] https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/breaking-news/could-a-speed-limit-change-make-motor-profitable-550189.aspx

Fig. 1 change in casualties 20/30 mph roads vs. 40mph+ roads

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