16.09.2014

City Council Plans More 20 MPH Streets

Manchester City Council is considering a move to impose 20 mph speed limits on more of its streets, which could mean as much as 46 per cent of the roads will have the slow limit in place.

Earlier this year, the authority made over 1,100 streets 20 mph zones, with these being located in three areas. The first covered parts of the wards of Gorton North, Gorton South, Longsight and Bradford, the second was in Miles Platting, Newton Heath, Ancoats and Clayton, while the third was in Hulme, Moss Side and Fallowfield.

Some of the new 20 mph roads will be in those same wards, while others would be in Ardwick, Burnage, Chorlton, Chorlton Park City Centre, Didsbury West, Didsbury East, Old Moat, Rusholme, Withington and Whalley Range.

One of the concerns residents have is that some streets are being treated as 'rat runs' in which motorists drive down them fast to take shortcuts between major roads.

The newly-affected streets will have the limits legally enforced - some of them have 20 mph signs, but at present those going faster face no action.

Manchester's plans will go through provided the city can secure the sign-off of the necessary £500,000 of funding from Transport for Greater Manchester and receives a favourable response from a public consultation. 

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, Luthfur Rahman, Manchester City Council’s lead member for 20 mph areas, commented: "We've been talking to people across the city and found huge support for this scheme, particularly from parents and schools who really wanted us to create reduced limits in their areas."

David Barker of Greater Manchester Cycling said he hoped that other local authorities in Greater Manchester would take similar steps to improve road safety.

He remarked: "I want to see this happen in Trafford as well. It's much more likely that people will cycle if the environment is better. If you do get hit at 20 mph you are far more likely to survive. It will reclaim the streets, essentially, for walkers and cyclists."

Expert Opinion

Road safety is vitally important for all road users and it is crucial steps are taken to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the UK’s roads is reduced. Schemes such as those proposed in Manchester are one approach to improving road safety, particularly in built-up urban areas, where vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians are in greater danger. <br/> <br/>“We have seen numerous cases where people of all ages have been struck by vehicles or involved in collisions, suffering devastating life-changing injuries as a result. It is vital more is done to investigate and trial new approaches to improving levels of safety on the UK’s roads to cut down the number of people being involved in accidents that have a life-changing impact on their lives.” Neil Whiteley - Partner