Traffic survey underlines need for action on speed limits
Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell, whose Safer Streets campaign aims to reduce speed limits in urban areas, is highlighting research showing most Scots think traffic is too fast in their neighbourhood for the safety of children on foot or bike.
The poll of 2,000 motorists for road safety charity Brake found that half of Scots admit to speeding in 20 mph zones, yet eight in 10 think traffic is too fast in their area.
Mr Ruskell is bringing forward a member's bill in the Scottish Parliament to reduce the default speed limit in urban areas from 30 to 20 mph, to reduce injuries and improve health through less air pollution.
Mark said:
“The fact that 8 in 10 Scots think traffic is too fast in their neighbourhood underlines the need for action. The process of creating 20 mph zones in our communities is too slow and costly, when public health and safety is at stake. The current patchwork nature of 20 mph areas undermines the importance of the 20 mph speed limit.
"That’s why I’m bringing forward a member’s bill to make 20 the default limit in urban areas. It already has widespread backing from health and environmental experts, and I look forward to gathering the public’s views in the coming months.”