MPs set national speed limits whilst Councillors set them locally. Doctors are calling for an emergency change to the national speed limit to 20mph limit now - 20’s Plenty for the NHS.  Health services face their greatest ever challenge from Covid-19.  Every crash victim fewer frees up capacity for other sick people.  Empower your MP to demand the Government set an emergency 20mph national limit now. Example letter follows. Add your own reasons too. Please also circulate it to your elists, social media and ask friends to join in.

Search for your MP’s contact details on https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP Write to them by email and also by hard copy to make a visible impact. Ask [email protected] for help if needed.

Anna Semlyen, 20’s Plenty for Us National Campaign Manager said

“Every time you call for 20mph limits it helps politicians feel empowered to do it!  Letters offer them a public mandate for change.  Writing to amplify and spread agreement with the medics call for 20’s Plenty for the NHS will make a difference. Copy the above and add your local story and flavour. Get writing and emailing!”

Your address date and email address

Dear xxxxxxxx MP

Doctors know that NHS care will be overwhelmed by Covid-19 patients for months, plus there will be a backlog of postponed care too. Doctors are calling on the Government for emergency public health measures.  They call their campaign “lower the baseline” load on the NHS. https://lowerthebaseline.org/  As road casualties are a huge, preventable burden, the medics first demand is emergency reductions in speed limits.  Pre-lockdown there were 35,000 road casualties admitted to hospital each year. 100,000 people are injured on 30mph roads each year. 20mph limits can reduce injuries by 20% and more. Even with less traffic on the road police are saying there’s been no decrease in speed related injuries as speeding is up. This is frightening, especially when key workers and people of all ages are walking and cycling more.

As my elected representative please:

• Contact Boris Johnson and the COBRA committee and Public Health England to request a 20mph national limit
• Make loud and clear demands that the Government make an emergency change to the National Speed limit to 20mph on built up roads, (down from 30mph) to help the NHS. Signs wouldn’t change short term.
• Tweet support for the @lower_baseline campaign demand for a 20mph to replace 30mph eg “I support NHS medics calls to @lower_baseline load on services. Change the national speed limit to 20mph in built up areas. This emergency measure to #lowerthebaseline can prevent some of England's 35,000 road casualty admissions p.a (100 a day) @20splentyforus”
• Write to your party leader asking for 20mph limit emergency measure now
• Record a short video on 20mph limits. Tweet it and circulate it to your social media contacts. Upload it at https://www.dropbox.com/request/RihzBcLPNmvOd2VyaU1g

20mph limits are coming anyway. They are accepted as national and global best practice in the Stockholm Declaration signed by the UK in February. 20mph is accepted as Welsh policy.  The Isle of Man have reduced road speeds to a maximum of 40mph.  Top road speeds were reduced in the 1973 oil crisis down to 50mph for economic reasons. Now MPs can reduce road speeds to save lives.

Please see our site supporting the doctors urgent call for an emergency national 20mph urban limit at www.20splenty.org/lower_baseline.

There has never been a more urgent time for Government action to protect the NHS by taking action to reduce road casualties, keeping resources and beds free for Covid-19 and other sick people.

Do you support a national 20mph emergency limit? I look forward to your positive response.  

Yours faithfully

Your name (20’s Plenty for *your place* and perhaps job title especially if it is health or emergency services related)