New research[1] from engineering consultants, Skyrad, models the impact of capping speeds at 20mph vs. 30mph. This “real life” modelling that takes account of the stop/start nature of urban traffic yields a very different result from traditional steady-state models. It shows significant and substantial reductions in emissions: CO₂ lower by 26% and NOx 28% lower. With UK hosting COP26, campaigners are calling on governments to set 20mph or 30km/h limits as national urban/village defaults.

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.

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.

So many cities, towns and counties have rejected their national default limits of 30mph or 50km/h and set lower limits for most roads. It is not because their roads are abnormal, but because the national limit is seen as no longer meeting the community needs. But that can and is being changed at national level.

Now that 20mph or 30km/h limit is accepted as the urban best practice norm, we examine the case for setting the limit at national level.  This provides so many benefits in terms of value for money, consistency, messaging and results.

• Hear how Spain becomes first country to set its national urban 30km/h default in May 2021
• Hear how Wales is planning a national 20mph default for 2023
• Hear the benefits from national implementation over city by city
• Hear the WHO global view on 30km/h urban limits
• Hear the campaigner view on a 20mph national urban limit
• Hear the medical and public health case for lower speeds

The webinar will be chaired by Deborah Sims, Senior Vice President, Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation

Speakers already confirmed are :-

• Álvaro Gómez Méndez, Head of the National Road Safety Observatory, DGT, Spain
• Nhan Tran, Head of Safety and Mobility, WHO
• Lee Waters, Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Wales
• Scarlett McNally, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Eastbourne DGH[1]
• Richard Thorold, Trustee, Louis Thorold Foundation
• Rod King MBE, Founder and Campaign Director, 20’s Plenty for Us

After short presentations there will be a panel discussion answering questions from attendees.

Whether you are a campaigner, politician, transport engineer, road safety professional, public health professional or NGO you will find this webinar a ground-breaking one by discussing the UNGRSW call at a national level. It also shows the way forward to using 30km/h and 20mph limits as the foundation for the future liveability of our urban and village spaces, and for the UN's 2nd Decade of Action on Road Safety - 2021 to 2030.

The webinar is free and you can register here.

[1] Scarlett is also lead author for ‘Exercise the miracle cure’ and represents the Royal College of Surgeons of England on the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change

The UN are calling for 20mph or 30km/h speed limits to become the norm in places where people on foot or on bicycle mix with motor vehicles. It is the key focus of the 6th UN Global Road Safety Week running from 17th-23rd May.

This is backed by science and the call from communities to set speed limits that are compatible with liveable communities.

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.

Many people ask what to do if the average speed on a road is 25mph or above. Can you set a 20mph limit? Lets consider what I call "The 25mph Conundrum".

Setting speed limits based on what drivers think is the right speed is a flawed approach. This is considered in a recent report from NACTO (National Association of City Transportation Officials). It concludes that "Relying on a percentile-based system focused on current driver behavior, rather than a defined safety target to set speed limits, significantly limits cities’ ability to reduce traffic deaths.

So lets go through the logic of solving this conundrum for UK situations.

I have been having a discussion on LinkedIn with some engineers on the choice of building "self-explaining" roads rather than wide-area speed limits after posting this infographic.  My response was rather too long for the usual character limit on LinkedIn, hence it initiated this blog.

Here we have some pictures used by campaigners. You can right click on any of the images to download them.

Use this photo for your Valentine day Tweets, Facebook and social media posts

Campaigners in Chester making and using 20mph signs to remind drivers to keep to the speed limit

An Irish child calls for 30km/h limits in UN Global Road Safety Week 2017

Aldersgate Street, London

Our banner being used outside a school in Buntingford

Blackfriars Bridge, London - a main arterial road into the city.

A driver shows support for a 30km/h limit

A council banner used to support engagement with drivers in London Borough of Camden

The squeezed cyclist

Enforcement in 20mph areas.

Creative campaigners during Halloween

Children gain most from 20mph limits making their roads better places to be

Campaigners for a 30km/h limit in Argentina

Community event in the Isle of Wight

Another lamp post banner in Lambeth

See the world through the "eyes of a child" and 30mph becomes scary.

Another arterial road with a 20mph limit.

20's Plenty for cyclists

Do you like Quality Streets?

A 30mph urban limit is no longer "fit for purpose" in our towns and villages.

A bike isn't just for Christmas - its the key to children's independent mobility

20's Plenty across the world - This picture from Seattle

Each year thousands of residents use their waste bins to say that 20's Plenty 

London Mayor, Sadiq Khan made 20's Plenty one of his pledges before election.

Life is simply better at 20. 

Intelligent Speed Assistance - What it is and how it will affect compliance on speed limits

A briefing by Rod King for the Welsh Government 20mph Task and Finish Group - 30^th December 2019

Here we show some graphics that may be used. You can right click on any of the images to download them.

Our logo

Our graphic on 20mph and emissions

Being hit at 20mph is like falling into a 3.6m trench (or from a 1st floor window). At 30mph it's like falling into a 8.8m trench (or from a 3rd floor window)

Our Valentine's Day card 2021, including a 20mph poem, proved popular.  Here it is...

We have re-created the paper plates first used in Hertfordshire for children to say whey they want a 20mph limit. Here are some examples.

The template for the plate is here.

Also available as a Word Doc or a PDF file

A 20's Plenty colouring page for children - Created by Sue Nicholls in our 20's Plenty for Hertfordshire campaign

Also available as a Word Doc or a PDF file

 How 20mph/30kmh limits with public engagement beat physical calming in cost effectiveness

Impact speeds (MPH) and the equivalent fall from height.

The field of vision to observe pedestrians at 20mph and 30mph

How vehicle noise decreases between 30mph and 20mph. A 3db decrease is equivalent to halving the noise.

British Social Attitude Surveys over the years have shown a consistent 70% in favour of 20mph for residential roads.

Risk of death for children

Speed: The facts. Taken from a WHO publication.

How speed Kills Infographic

20 Saves a Plenty graphic from Bristol Cycling

Its physics! People ask about how 20mph limits reduces emissions. This graphic shows the difference in energy (from fuel) required to reach 20mph or 30mph.

A nearly universal aspiration in communities is to make traffic speed compatible with community life and human survivability.  A 30mph limit is no longer fit for purpose for urban and village streets. Lower default limits are being set. Choose 20mph.

Among urban and village improvement options, 20mph ranks top for cost effectiveness. Over a wide area, 20mph benefits all road users and the whole community. Casualties fall 20%[1], noise almost halves and active travel rises. Councils can afford it.

[1] http://www.20splenty.org/20mph_casualty_reduction

The Scottish Government has published its Road Safety Framework to 2030 Draft for consultation.

We applaud the vision within this that "Our vision is for Scotland to have the best road safety performance in the world by 2030." 

Scotland's road fatalities per million population stands at 30 this is considerably greater than leaders such as Iceland at 17 and Sweden at 22. Whilst such a radical vision is laudable we are concerned that the plans are not radical enough to catch up and overtake other countries in terms of road safety.

Our response to the consultation points out that much more must be done if Scotland's performance is to match its' aspirations. It makes particular reference to speed management. 

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!

We were asked to write an article for the annual Road Safety Markings Association's annual magazine.

20’s Plenty – for the 2020’s

A few year’s ago I had the pleasure of speaking at the RSMA annual conference and noticed the strong commitment to making our streets safer. In that I explained how the movement for slower speed limits on community streets was evolving.

The 20’s Plenty (or Love 30 as it is known in km/h countries) was making great progress this year even before the Covid-19 pandemic and the realisation that we all needed more space and safety to move around our cities, towns and villages.