20mph speed limits

[grumpybum]

I've just been reading this article

 

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/councils-consider...21.html#kspH2A9

 

I can certainly see sense in them out side of schools, until that is I read the above. Having said that am I just being blind and having a blonde moment. with regard to the death and injury numbers?

[Steve Walker]

I believe it is a requirement that they are self-enforcing, which means lots of new traffic hindrance schemes. Expect to see more Chelsea Tractors on the road as people react rationally to councils making the roads like a ploughed field.

[grumpybum]

The move comes after official figures released in August showed road casualties in 20mph zones increased by almost a quarter in 2011.

 

The number of people killed or injured on roads in built-up areas with a speed limit of 20mph totalled 2,262 in 2011, up by 24% from 2010.

 

Meanwhile casualties on 30mph roads were down by 1% from 2010, recorded at 125,494 in 2011, according to data from the DfT.

 

This was the part i was referring to.

[Steve Walker]

I think those stats are fairly meaningless because of the way that roads have been reclassified. If you reclassify all the roads with the worst accident rates as twenties, you are going to see more accidents in twenties.

[Ken L]

You can't legislate brains !

My daily commute takes me along a narrow one way street with cars parked on both sides. The street also happens to contain a special school and is near a station so there are lots of commuters parking up and opening doors.

For obvious reasons, I ride right down the middle of the road, but there's no shortage of would be boy racers roaring along at well over the 30 mph limit and parking their silly selves in my rear wheel.

 

I suspect that in a lot of cases, the 20 limit will not only have been imposed but is also being enforced - and that's what's making the difference.