In July 2024 we adopted a new approach to 20 mph speed limit schemes. The aim is to provide greater flexibility to install schemes on the right roads after listening to the views of residents. This is because 20 mph schemes provide a range of benefits:
Improvements to road safety
- Fewer collisions: Slower vehicle speeds give drivers more time to react, reducing the likelihood of collisions.
- Reduced collision severity: Collisions at 20 mph are less severe, with pedestrians having a much higher survival rate compared to collisions at 30 mph or higher.
- Safer for vulnerable users: Slower vehicle speeds particularly benefit vulnerable groups like children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
Better for active travel
- Promotes walking, scooting and cycling: Slower vehicle speeds support healthier lifestyles by making walking, scooting, and cycling safer, easier and more pleasant.
Better for the environment
- Improved air quality: Slower vehicle speeds reduce exhaust emissions by reducing the levels of acceleration and deceleration between junctions and traffic signals. This reduces the level of emissions from internal combustion engines, as well as particulate air pollution from wear and tear on brakes and tyres.
- Reduces congestion: By supporting active travel as an alternative to car use, slower vehicle speeds can help to reduce congestion and make journeys more reliable.
- Reduction in carbon emissions: Slower speeds and a smoother driving style will reduce fuel consumption and therefore reduce carbon emissions in support of our Climate Change Strategy.
Our approach to 20 mph
A flexible approach, not a blanket approach
- Our approach is to allow greater flexibility in implementing 20 mph schemes.
- We do not advocate a blanket approach, and instead town centres, residential areas and the roads near schools are the locations where 20 mph speed limits would be particularly desirable.
- Although any road could be considered, some more main roads on the outskirts of towns and villages could retain a higher speed limit
Local people will be consulted
- We will always consider the views of local people, and these will be presented to the local County Councillor to inform their decision to proceed or not.
Self-enforcing schemes
- We will only implement 20 mph speed limits that are predominantly self-enforcing and therefore retain credibility with motorists.
- If necessary, where existing speeds are higher, we will use highway engineering and traffic calming to get speeds down.
- There will be no expectation that the police would be required to provide additional enforcement.
Myths about 20 mph schemes
Air pollution
Research suggests 20 mph schemes do not increase air pollution. Slower vehicle speeds support a shift to more walking, scooting and cycling and then fewer polluting vehicles on the roads. 20 mph schemes can also encourage a smoother driving style with less acceleration and deceleration between junctions and pedestrian crossings.
Fuel consumption
The amount of fuel a vehicle uses is mainly influenced by the way we drive – driving at a consistent speed is better than stopping and starting. Accelerating up to 30 mph can take twice as much energy as speeding up to 20 mph.
Congestion
One of the objectives of 20 mph schemes is to increase the take up of walking, scooting and cycling which would reduce congestion. During the off-peak periods, including overnight, some might experience an increase in journey times. However, most of the delays that occurs for motor vehicles in built up areas during the daytime is at junctions, rather than the roads between junctions. We do not envisage the need to make any changes to bus timetables, and where possible we will mitigate any adverse impacts with bus priority schemes.
More details on our 20 mph policy, including the process used to assess the feasibility and implement new 20 mph speed limits.
