The government is encouraging more local councils to introduce blanket 20mph speed limits in residential areas without the use of speed humps.
At present councils can only enforce 20mph limits on groups of residential roads by using traffic calming measures such as speed humps. Only on individual roads can a 20mph limit be introduced without speed humps.
But following a successful city-wide trial of a blanket 20mph speed limit without speed humps in Portsmouth, road safety minister Paul Clark will allow more councils to introduce similar blanket 20mph speed limits in residential areas.
“We have seen that 20mph zones with traffic calming measures can make a real difference to the safety of local roads,” he said. “But we’ve also looked at the latest research and listened to councils and residents who want to introduce 20mph limits on a series of roads where physical traffic calming measures aren’t possible or practical.
“Allowing councils to put in place 20mph speed limits on more streets without speed humps or chicanes will mean that they can introduce them at a lower cost and with less inconvenience to local residents.”
Islington has recently introduced a 20mph speed limit in all of its residential areas, while similar schemes are set to be adopted in Norwich and York. The government is also proposing that average speed cameras be used in residential areas to enforce the limits.
