20mph brings lower car insurance costs
Earlier this year, insurer esure noticed a significant drop in reported accidental damage claims from its Welsh customers after implementation of the national default 20mph limit for urban/village roads. This echoed both lower actual speeds and a reduction in casualties. As a result esure has been reducing its insurance premiums for Welsh drivers.
Continue reading
20mph sees fewer vehicle damage claims in Wales
Insurance company esure has issued a press release[1] that vehicle damage claims have reduced by 20% since the nationwide 20mph speed limit was introduced in Wales in September 2023. This contrasts with England, where the company did not see a similar drop in claims.
Wales was one of the first countries in the world, and the first nation in the UK, to introduce legislation for a default 20mph speed limit. Early results from trial sites in 2022 which showed a 3mph reduction in speeds[2] were confirmed in reports on the nationwide implementation[3][4][5].
Continue reading
TfL data shows huge benefit for pedestrians from 20mph on arterial roads in London
New data from Transport for London echoes what 20’s Plenty have been finding in recent 20mph implementations - that speed reductions on major and faster roads are resulting in substantial reductions in speeds and casualties for vulnerable road user casualties. TfL has just published research into the impact of the introduction of 20mph limits across a range of sites on the roads that it controls (typically London's arterial roads - the "Red Routes") which shows that, after speed limits were lowered, collisions involving a vulnerable road user have decreased by 36% (from 453 to 290), while collisions resulting in death or serious injury have decreased by 25% (from 94 to 71). The number of collisions involving people walking have decreased by 63% (from 124 to 46).
Continue reading
Oxford Conference Round Up 2022
20’s Plenty 13th Annual Conference delegates hear how 20mph is becoming the new normal
Over 100 delegates from across the UK heard how 20mph is becoming the new normal where people live, work and play. Co-hosted by Landor Links and Oxfordshire County Council, the event was chaired by Debra Sims (Past President Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation). Academics, industry experts and campaigners shared news of national progress, local wins and the latest research on how wide area 20mph limits improve quality of life and public health.
Continue reading
A Grant Shapps presidency of the International Transport Forum of the OECD is an opportunity to save millions of lives
The presidency of the ITF[0] rotates amongst its 64 member countries and is being transferred to UK near the start of the UN Decade of Action on Road Safety 2021-2030. This is a unique opportunity for UK Secretary of State, Grant Shapps to provide leadership and #CommitToAct by reducing the national urban speed limit to 20mph, a proven road safety initiative that could save millions of lives if adopted worldwide. This is a key call of the ITF and others to set 30km/h and 20mph limits wherever motors mix with people.
Continue reading
New smartphone app to gather evidence of speeding
A new app has been developed that enables any member of the public with a smartphone to gather video evidence of speeding for submission to police for processing and enforcement. This paves the way for wider enforcement and allows police and authorities to align with community demands for speed limit compliance.
Continue reading
20s Plenty nears 600 local campaigns
Calls from communities across the UK for wide-area 20mph speed limits are increasing as the number of local 20’s Plenty Campaigns approaches a significant new milestone. The UK demand for lower speed limits is gaining momentum as the total number of local 20’s Plenty Campaigns is on target to reach 600 in the near future.
Continue reading
2021 sees a growing call from communities for 20mph speed limits throughout the UK
Wide-area 20mph schemes are already common in urban authorities and “20mph as a norm” is government policy in Wales[1] and Scotland[2]. Now, the desire for 20mph speed limits is sweeping across rural communities throughout the UK. County authorities are starting to answer a call to action from town and parish councils who are giving voice to local residents’ aspirations for 20’s Plenty.
[1] https://www.20splenty.org/welsh_20mph_report
[2] https://www.20splenty.org/scotgov_says_20splenty
Continue reading
Scottish Government commitment to 20mph limits supports Active Travel and aligns with global best practice
With the Welsh government already committed to a national default 20mph limit for urban and village roads, the Scottish Government has announced that it plans[1] for 20mph to become the norm in built-up areas. This aligns with global best practice[2] that 20mph or 30km/h is the maximum permissible speed on roads used by pedestrians and cyclists unless a higher limit is evidentially safe. It is a key component of Scotland’s response to the Climate Emergency and helps to support Active Travel.
Continue reading
20mph or 30kmh Limits Align With Global Goals
Setting 20mph/30kmh limits fits with global goals for health, sustainability and the climate. Though at first glance speeds seem to be about roads, actually they are about people and the world we want to live in. Broad and lasting benefits accrue to people and planet from normalising 20mph/30kmh. Climate, safety, active travel, place-making, the economy and quality of life are all helped. Lower speed limits have wins now and for future generations.
Continue reading
Setting national 20mph / 30kmh limit Webinar
30mph / 50kmh speeds aren’t cutting it for our 21st century lives. They’ve already been rejected by Spain, Wales and local authorities covering 1/3rd of UK population as not fit for purpose. Attend a free webinar on Thursday 20 May at 2.30pm for UN Global Road Safety Week on how nations are setting national default 20mph/30kmh for urban and village #streetsforlife.
Continue reading
Norming 20mph/30kmh: a call for a new default speed limit
Global pressure is mounting on legislators to reset speed limits for #Streetsforlife – designed for flourishing human activities. Whether protecting humans and quality of life in Kent or Kenya, it’s 20mph/30kmh that’s global best practice where people mix with motors. Norming 20mph/30kmh is the sole call of the biennial UNGRSW by the UN and WHO. Local politicians must update policy to #ActOn20mph #Love20 #Love30.
Ask National Government elected representatives for decisive action too. Email your MP
Continue reading
It is smart for national governments to set national urban/village default speed limits of 20mph or 30km/h.
Local governments in towns, cities and villages around the world are rejecting nationally set 30mph or 50km/h speed limits as no longer “fit for purpose” in meeting the needs of citizens and society. 20mph or 30km/h is now seen as the maximum safe speed limit where motor vehicles mix with pedestrians and cyclists unless there are adequate segregated and crossing provisions.
National governments should set 20mph or 30km/h as their national default urban/village speed limit.
Continue reading
20mph Campaigner Amanda Russell from Faversham wins National Award from Brake in Road Safety Week
Star community campaigner Amanda Russell has won a National Award from the charity Brake for 20mph volunteering. She began 20’s Plenty for Faversham and the town now has the first 20mph town-wide scheme in Kent. Bravo!
Continue reading
General Assembly of United Nations say 20’s Plenty
For the second Decade of Action for Road Safety the United Nations has endorsed the setting of 30km/h (20mph) maximum speed limits wherever pedestrians, cyclists or other vulnerable road users mix with motor vehicles.
Continue reading
Doctors Demand 20mph as Emergency National Urban Limit
Embargoed till Thursday 9th April
Today, April 9th, sees the launch of a national campaign supported by leading doctors to call upon the UK Government to demand 20mph as an Emergency National Urban Limit. We all want to help the NHS during the Covid-19 crisis. The doctors that we are relying on have called on the UK Government to change the national speed limit to 20mph from 30mph. They are clear that setting a 20mph speed limit will reduce pressure on the NHS now and for the future. 20’s Plenty for Us, the national campaign for 20mph limits with 460 local community campaigns, is supporting our doctors’ calls for the UK Government to act now.
Continue reading
We Support Emergency 20mph Limit to ‘Lower the Baseline’ NHS Load
See our microsite dedicated to to supporting the call by doctors to lower the urban speed limit from 30mph to 20mph at www.20splenty.org/lower_baseline. It includes Voxpops, FAQs, Supporters, etc
The Covid-19 crisis is severely straining our medical services and economy. As well as increasing medical capacity, doctors are calling to “lower the baseline” of NHS demand for preventable reasons like road crashes by rapid introduction of public health policies. Medical experts want emergency measures to reduce speed limits. 20’s Plenty for Us support their urgent requests for 20mph limits in built up areas to help the NHS and economy by saving hospital beds and resources[1].
[1] http://www.20splenty.org/covid-19_and_lower_speeds
Continue reading
20mph and 30km/h limits mandated by Global Ministers
Global Road Safety Experts and Ministers from 130 countries adopted the “Stockholm Declaration” at a road safety conference on 20th February. It requires 30km/h (20mph) limits where vulnerable road users and vehicles mix - for safety, air quality and climate action.
Continue reading
20mph/30kmh limits to be mandated by Global Ministers
Ministers from around the world meet to adopt the “Stockholm Declaration” at a conference[1] in February which includes commitment to 30kmh (20mph) speed limits where vulnerable road users and vehicles mix.
[1] https://www.roadsafetysweden.com/
Continue reading
20’s Plenty for Chester and Richmond Groups Win 20mph Campaign Awards
20’s Plenty for Chester and Richmond groups have both won National 20’s Plenty Campaign Awards for 2019. Each did exceptional voluntary work with perseverance and success.
Continue reading
Attend A Future-Focused 20mph Conference: 31 October 2019 Waltham Forest - 20’s Plenty for the 2020’s
20mph limits are spreading. 21M people in the UK live where wide area 20mph is agreed. Experts will gather on 31st October in Waltham Forest Town Hall, London to consider the future of built up area mobility and how 20mph limits affect accessibility, risk and sustainability. Come and learn about, and contribute to, positive change.
Continue reading
Leading Charities’ Call for 20mph Default Speed Limit
A group of ten leading transport and active travel charities call on the UK Government to introduce a default 20mph speed limit in England. 20mph limits are the foundation for lower road casualties, getting more people walking and cycling and improving social justice but once again are being largely overlooked by the Department for Transport.
Continue reading
Lacking National Vision: Scottish Parliament 20mph Vote
Mark Ruskell’s ground-breaking private members bill to set a 20mph limit for most residential roads today gained support from Scottish Greens and Labour but was vetoed by SNP, Scottish Tories and LibDem SMPs. Responding to this regressive vote, campaigners are renewing urgent calls to set 20mph limits as the standard in Scottish communities!
Continue reading
TfL Consulting on 20mph Limits for Central London
Transport for London’s (TfL) current consultation on 20mph limits[1] heralds a concerted bid to reduce speeds across the capital. It includes a range of measures to increase driver compliance. Support the consultation by 10 July.
[1] https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/streets/20/consultation/
Continue reading
20’s Plenty for Us response to the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee (RECC) stage 1 report on the Restricted Roads (20 mph speed limit) (Scotland) Bill
20’s Plenty are dismayed with the RECC report[1]. The views are illogical, innumerate and deeply flawed. They show a shocking disregard for protecting the lives of vulnerable road users and promoting active travel.
[1] https://digitalpublications.parliament.scot/Committees/Report/REC/2019/5/31/Stage-1-Report-on-the-Restricted-Roads--20-mph-Speed-Limit---Scotland--Bill
Continue reading
Bristol’s 20mph Limits: Massive Success Confirmed by Review
Bristol’s review on the future of its 20mph limits shows huge public approval and cost savings, confirming its massive success. 20mph works.
Continue reading
20's Plenty Submission to Parliamentary Transport Committee
The UK's Parliamentary Transport Committee has launched an inquiry into road safety. The scope of the inquiry is :-
"The Transport Committee is concerned that progress increasing levels of road safety has levelled off and is launching an inquiry to scrutinise the Government’s approach to road safety, last set out in its 2015 road safety statement. The inquiry will investigate which changes would be most effective at reducing the number and severity of road traffic accidents."
We submitted evidence to the committee on how a default 20mph urban and village speed limit would have a considerable positive effect on road safety. Our submission follows.
Continue reading
Scotland’s aspiration for more liveable communities via 20mph limits is ideally timed to benefit from new speed limited vehicles
Recent changes to vehicle specifications applicable from 2022 have ramped up expected returns and effectiveness from the Safer Streets 20mph Scotland Bill being considered by MSPs. Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) have already heard that a national limit is extremely cost-effective. At £10m for 2 years – (only 0.75% of Government transport funds), it pays back in year one. New speed limiting laws make it even more cost beneficial.
Continue reading
Speed Limiters Mandatory for New Cars: 20mph Self Enforced
In-car speed limiters stop drivers speeding. Whilst some vehicles have them as an optional extra, the EU plans to make in-car fail safes compulsory on all new vehicles from 2022[1]. Crashes will fall. Though they can be overridden, once widely used, limiters could largely replace education, engineering and enforcement further reducing societal costs. Wide-area 20mph and limiters revolutionise road safety.
[1] https://etsc.eu/meps-back-life-saving-vehicle-safety-standards-in-key-vote/
Continue reading
Scottish leaders should prioritise local streets
20mph Scotland Poll 72% Support. Policy costs 0.75% of transport budget for 2 years. Leaders should prioritise local streets.
Public opinion is for 20mph - 72% and rising. Scotland’s elected leader– Nicola Sturgeon should back a national change to 20mph. The cost is £10m for 2 years – only 0.75% of the total transport budget. Reducing road danger is like seatbelt and smoking ban laws. On 20mph we need leaders who will lead and make national changes!
Continue reading
How the DfT report enables Local Authorities to implement Wide Area 20mph Limits
Jesse Norman MP, the Minister for Transport has written to Councils saying the “WS Atkins report confirms public support for 20mph”. Many Local Authorities are now reviewing 20mph policies and re-interpreting DfT guidance.
Continue reading
DfT 20mph Evaluation – Liveable streets road block or foundation for a national 20mph limit
Back in 2014 the question for the government and DfT was whether 20mph limits were popular, are they the correct limit and should there be more of them. But the more we look at how the whole 20mph movement has developed we see that these questions have already been answered for us.
Continue reading
DfT 20mph Evaluation - Reviewed by 20's Plenty
20’s Plenty for Us welcomes the publication of the long-awaited DfT Evaluation of 20mph limits. It confirms the public support and acceptance of 20mph limits but has failed to meet the original DfT objectives or provide increased evidence on how to make our streets safer.
Continue reading
Government publishes 20mph evaluation report
Today the government published its long awaited report evaluating 20mph limit implementations. We welcome the report. It has been a long time coming since 2014 when it was commissioned.
And in that time there have been nearly half a million casualties on streets with a 30mph limit.
The report only evaluated a small number of case studies which in themselves only covered part of an authority. There are some useful indicators in the report, particularly around the negative aspects of police failing to routinely enforce 20mph limits and the need for national engagement and awareness on the benefits of reducing speeds below 30mph in residential and other roads.
However, we have major reservations about the primary data used in the report around speed reductions and the complete failure of the study to look at sufficient casualty figures to be able to draw any conclusions that would be statistically credible. These were key reasons for the commissioning of the report and we are amazed at the choice of data measured which appears to be based on measuring what is available rather than what is meaningful.
Continue reading
Call for 20mph Limits This Halloween As Fast Drivers are Scary!
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.
Continue reading
Kent Campaigner Adrian Berendt Wins National 20mph Award
Adrian Berendt from Tunbridge Wells has won the National 20’s Plenty Campaigner of the Year Award for his outstanding voluntary work and commitment to bringing 20mph limits to Kent.
Continue reading
Wales Conference Voxpops
Here are the 60 second videos we recorded at our 20's Plenty for Wales Conference from presenters and delegates.
Note that this page may take a while to load.
Continue reading
Institute of Welsh Affairs calls for national 20mph urban default
The Institute of Welsh Affairs in its recent report on “Decarbonising Transport in Wales”[1] has called for a default 20mph urban limit as a key recommendation to enable Wales to meet its projected energy demands entirely by 2035.
[1] http://www.iwa.wales/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IWA_Decarbonising_Transport-1.pdf
Continue reading
400th 20's Plenty Local Campaign Group forms in Strathblane
20’s Plenty for Us is now 400 campaign branches strong and UK-wide. Strathblane, Stirlingshire is the latest place where volunteers are being supported by the national 20mph campaign group lobbying for safer, better streets.
Continue reading
20’s Plenty for Wales as annual conference comes to Cardiff
The 9th annual 20’s Plenty conference is to be held in Cardiff on October 2nd 2018 with a Welsh perspective on 20mph limits. Hosted by Cardiff City Council and 20’s Plenty for Us it focuses on how 20mph limits support health and well-being.
Continue reading
Focus on 20mph as TfL launches its Vision Zero action plan for London
A much wider use of 20mph limits and a raft of measures to increase compliance are at the heart of a bold plan from Transport for London to reduce serious and fatal casualties in London to zero by 2041. The vital role that lower vehicle speeds can play is underscored as TfL calls on the UK government to amend the standard urban speed limit to 20mph.
Continue reading
Local Authorities could enforce 20mph limits
By collaborating with their police force, local authorities could institute public prosecutions for non-compliance with 20mph limits to transform community streets.
Continue reading
Calderdale’s Transport and Public Health Initiative for 20mph Streets Saw 30% Fewer Casualties
51 fewer people suffered road trauma after Calderdale’s highly successful wide area 20mph limit project was implemented. A popular and well-coordinated wide area 20mph limit implementation will have prevented 30-40% of casualties over three years. 20’s Plenty congratulate this triumph of safer community streets.
Continue reading
Leeds Agrees and Fast Tracks its 20mph Roll-Out
Leeds City Council have agreed that 20’s Plenty with signed 20mph. Campaigners are celebrating this win to civilise home streets. 20’s Plenty for Leeds call for driver engagement for behavior change. Also for city centre 20mph limits near shops.
Continue reading
OECD calls for 20mph limits in built-up areas
The International Transport Forum group of the OECD has just published its report on “Speed and Crash Risk” and has called for 30km/h (20mph) speed limits in built up areas where there is a mix of vulnerable road users and motor vehicles.
Continue reading
Bristol’s 20mph limits have led to valuable reductions in speed and casualties, and benefit active travel
The University of the West of England (UWE) has analysed the impact of 20mph roll-outs for Bristol City Council. It finds reductions of 2.7mph in average traffic speeds and an estimated cost saving of over £15m per year from fatal, serious and slight injuries avoided.
Continue reading
Global 'Light of Hope' Award for 20's Plenty founder from Irish Road Victims Assocaition
Rod King MBE, Founder of 20’s Plenty for Us has been recognized by the Irish Road Victims Association (IRVA)[1]. He won the IRVA’s Global ‘Light of Hope’ Award 2017 in Mullingar, Ireland on 19th November, the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. Rod King has voluntarily campaigned for 20mph/30km/h road speed limits since 2005.
Picture: via IRVA - Donna Price, Founder and Chairperson, presenting award. www.irva.ie
[1] http://www.irva.ie/world-day-of-remembrance
Continue reading
UK needs a new "national" speed limit
Far from having a “national” urban speed limit of 30mph, this has been rejected by local authorities for a quarter of the UK population. All but two Inner London Boroughs and over half of the UK’s largest urban authorities now have a 20mph limit for most roads. Rather than just “recommending” 20mph limits the government should set a national 20mph limit and permit local authorities to justify any higher limits.
Continue reading
20mph Win in Sheffield
Sheffield city centre limits are to go 20mph. 20’s Plenty for Sheffield are celebrating another win. 30mph has been rejected in favour of 20mph as best practice. Campaigners are calling for a full driver engagement plan for behaviour change for safer streets.
Continue reading
NICE Recommends 20mph limits Without Traffic Calming to Improve Air Quality
NICE recommends urban speed reduction for better air quality. NICE guidance says 20mph limits without physical measures in urban areas help “avoid unnecessary acceleration and deceleration”.
Continue reading