Road Casualty Figures Show Need for 20 Mph Speed Limit In Welsh Towns and Cities
New analysis of road casualty figures from the Department for Transport for the whole of the UK show that 20 mph limits in towns and cities are urgently needed, according to the Wales Green Party lead euro candidate Jake Griffiths.
He was commenting after analysis by the Green Party for road casualties for 2007 by the Department for Transport revealed that there was 49% reduction in children killed or seriously injured compared to the 1994/8 average in Wales compared to a reduction of 68% in England.
Green Party supporters, Councilors and campaign groups around Wales and the UK are campaigning for 20 mph to become the default speed limit on residential roads in urban areas to reduce the number of deaths and injuries. A recent survey by the Cardiff Green Party of over 300 residents in Canton, West Cardiff found 80% support for the introduction of 20mph speed limits as the default speed limit in all residential areas.
Jake Griffiths, the lead Wales Green Party euro candidate said: “The figures show that this is a social justice issue as well as a safety and environmental issue and that Wales is improving at a slower rate than England or Scotland. It is shocking that the number of pedestrians killed or injured is so much higher for the most deprived areas. The Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones is currently consulting on guidance on the implementation of slower speeds and could really make a difference by encouraging the introduction of 20mph in all residential areas – we urge him to take this opportunity. Greens across Wales and the UK are campaigning for 20 mph to be the default limit in built-up areas and Green Councilors putting forward these proposals to many local authorities. With a default 20 mph speed limit, fewer road humps are needed than with limited ‘home zones’, and it is easier to communicate the message that 20mph is the appropriate speed on residential roads where children and people of all ages need to be able to walk about safely. Lower speed limits don’t just create safer streets for everyone, they also mean better air quality and lower carbon emissions as they encourage more people to walk and cycle.”
In May this year, after becoming the official opposition on Norwich City Council, Norwich Green Party succeeded in getting agreement from the Norwich Highways Agency Committee to introduce a 20mph limit across unclassified residential roads in the city. The first phase of this scheme will be introduced by the end of this financial year.
Green Council groups in Lewisham, Hackney, Camden, Leicester and on many other councils across the country are also pushing for the measure, which is a key priority for the Green Party. A city-wide 20 mph speed limit was also a key policy in the Greens’ London election campaign in May.
Simon McBride
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