20’s Plenty for Us calls for 20mph default speed limits for built up areas. It’s Halloween and children and parents say fast traffic is what scares them!  Road death is the number one killer of our children so reduce the danger with slower speeds.

20’s Plenty for Us call on all elected representatives to vote 20mph for built up roads. It is their duty of care to protect children, vulnerable people, cyclists and pedestrians from fast traffic.  Some through roads can still be set at 30mph where the needs of vulnerable road users have been provided for.  

The biggest killer in Britain of five to 25 year olds is traffic crashes. Research on Bristol[1] found 4 fewer road deaths, 11 fewer serious injuries and 159 fewer minor injuries per year, saving £15million pa since the 20mph limit.  For children under 12 crash risk rises in faster traffic environments because their eyesight cannot judge speeds over 20mph.  When vehicles go at 20mph or below, most people survive collisions.  Between 20mph and 30mph the death risk rises sevenfold. Furthermore, 50% of all pedestrian fatalities and 80% of serious injuries, due to the frontal impact of a car, happen at 21-30mph, but only rarely at 20mph or below, as there is more time to react, brake, stop, and ideally, avoid a crash.

39% of 1,000 parents of five- to 11-year olds in Great Britain, surveyed for Living Streets said school-run traffic was dangerous. Parents top fear near schools was speeding traffic (30%). Declining rates of child independent mobility is mostly due to perceived road danger - 60% of parents and carers who walk their child to school say that traffic danger is the main reason to accompany them (NTS0617, National Travel Survey, 2018).  Proportions of 7-10 year olds never allowed to cross roads alone has increased from 42% in 2002, to 62% (NTS0618, National Travel Survey, 2018). Policy should remove danger from the road environment, not remove children.[2] A widespread slow-down reduces indirect harms from traffic and inequality.  At 20mph older people are less fearful of trying to cross streets, or of driving their cars at a reasonable (i.e. slower) speed.  Those afraid to cycle become more likely to cycle. Pollution is reduced, less petrol is consumed too.

Rod King MBE, Founder of 20’s Plenty for Us said

“20mph limits are not just about protecting children you can see, but the ones you don't see. The parent you don't see refusing their child's wish to walk their streets, or the elderly fearful of traffic speed on their walk to the shops. Its why 20’s Plenty where people are!”

[1] http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/34851/

[2] https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/media/3618/ls_school_run_report_web.pdf

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