Motorists against 20mph zones, study reveals

Monday, May 19, 2014 - 13:00
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20 zone-fleet news

OPPOSED: Are you against 20mph zones?

Blanket 20mph speed limits on urban roads are opposed by half of UK drivers, research by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has suggested.

The road safety charity’s study found only a third of drivers are willing to embrace the idea and a fifth are undecided, with male drivers more likely to be opposed than female.

Fifty-five per cent of young drivers were against 20mph limits in towns while 34% of older drivers were in favour.

However, 94% agreed lower speed limit zones outside schools would be a good idea, with areas nearby parks (34%), hospitals (21%) and shops (21%) also popular.

Only 8% of respondents opted for 20mph near cycle lanes.

Simon Best, Chief Executive of the IAM, said: “Drivers are not as negative about 20mph speed limits as many commentators would have us believe.

“Those responding to our survey found it quite easy to stick to 20 and there is large scale support for 20mph outside schools.

“However, most drivers don’t want 30mph zones to be replaced with 20mph in towns.

“Many drivers still need to be convinced it would be a benefit.

“Re-education is also much more popular than prosecution.

“The total number of under 16s involved in accidents between school rush hours in the morning and afternoon is 6,106.

“Good design and widespread consultation is the key to the successful use of 20mph zones as a road safety tool because limits that match the road environment enforce themselves.”

4 Comments

  1. i am a school crossing patrol person .i see how fast drivers come down the road outside schools ,i believe that at school times that the 20 mph zone should be in place ,only outside school and at school times only .the only way to slow the few who do speed is in the car you have a computer that controls the cars performance ,by rights there should be a sensor on roads that have schools on that switches on the engine (governor ) that will limit the engine to 20mph only even if the throttle is pressed to the floor

  2. 20mph outside schools yes, but not in urban areas . Most accidents are caused by people speeding ignoring the 30mph limit, so reducing the limit to 20mph will have no effect on these bad drivers they will still drive at 35 to 40mph it will just penalise the majority who stick to the speed limit.

  3. If we carry on reducing to 20mph in all urban areas, 60mph on some sections of motorway and as we have at the moment 50mph on long sections of motorway routes we will eventually come to grinding halt. With all the advances in vehicle technolergie I do not understand why we feel the need to keep lowering speed limits, what should be happening is motorist being taught how to drive correctley.

  4. Just outside schools during term-time ok, but nowhere else please …. if the anti-car zealots have their way we’ll eventually end up with a man with a red flag walking in front of vehicles anywhere other than motorways!