Twenty’s plenty – Manchester prepares for city-wide speed limit

By Stuart Snape, Managing Partner at Graham Coffey & Co. Solicitors

Road crashes and related deaths have dropped by 25% since the 20mph limit was introduced in central London. As such, Manchester council is announcing plans to replicate such measures.

Stuart said: “When reports are published citing Manchester City Council’s plans to cut the speed limit on the roads around Manchester to 20mph, you can almost hear the rumbling of the complaints and opposition by motorists who deem it unnecessary, that it already takes too long to travel in and around Manchester, and that it is just another gimmick to penalise motorists.

But what is the truth behind the proposals?”

The measure ‘identifies areas of increased danger – such as the school run’

“This measure is just one part of the Active Travel Strategy and Investment plan which has an underlying focus on delivering a travel network focused on switching from motorised modes of travel to walking or cycling with a view to improving pollution and also improving road safety.

It includes investment in a variety of cycling and walking route initiatives alongside an extension of cycle hire and improvement in access to e-bikes.

The strategy acknowledges that cities and the streets in and around those cities have been designed around motorised vehicles which have hampered attempts to make them safe and welcoming for cycles and walkers.

It identifies critical areas of increased dangers – such as the school run – which is often characterised by huge vehicle congestion; cars idling outside the schools pumping toxic fumes into the air, and others parked anywhere and everywhere making it difficult to safely cross the road.

The strategy is all-encompassing, and yet predictably the headlines are focused on speed limits.

But it is so much more than that.”

‘Tackling child asthma cases at twice the national average’

“Limiting motorised vehicle use in a city tackles crucial health issues. A 2016 report by the Royal College of Physicians estimated that air pollution causes 40,000 premature deaths each year in the UK. What is more, children in Greater Manchester suffer from Asthma at twice the national average.

More than 600 people are killed or seriously injured on Greater Manchester roads each year – half of whom were walking or cycling. In the UK, only 3% of children cycle to school – compared with 50% in the Netherlands.

From a financial perspective, deterring traffic from the city is likely to generate local business growth. After all, traffic congestion in Greater Manchester costs local businesses £1.3 billion a year.

The logic is clear.

If driving remains more attractive than cycling and walking in our city regions, then more people will drive. More driving will cause more congestion and more pollution.

The health and financial costs will rise and the region will be forever held back by the limit of our ambition to encourage people to turn away from the car and travel through the city centres safely on their bikes or on foot.”

Do we want change?

“According to the report, 8 out of 10 people want cycling and walking to be safer.

Two-thirds of people asked said they would cycle and walk more if they could feel safer.

There will always be competing interests when these discussions are aired but it is vital that the media plays its role in reporting more accurately.

There are huge swathes of initiatives within the report aimed at reducing congestion and travel times for motorists – beyond simply reductions in speed limits.”

Will reducing the speed limit achieve the aim?

“Reducing the speed limit is just one way in which the region hopes to encourage more cycling and walking.

Cutting the speed limit may well be a reliable short-term way of making quick improvements in road safety.

And it is nothing new – there are already 20mph zones throughout Greater Manchester and the Manchester Transport Strategy 2040 notes that there is already evidence of an increase in cycling and walking.

The plan to extend these to other areas where it is supported by local residents to help create a network of safer routes should be applauded.

A further example of the success of this strategy can be seen in London where the reduction in speed limit has reduced collisions by 25%.

The data released by TFL suggests a 63% drop in crashes involving pedestrians.

There can be little doubt that reducing speed limits within our towns and city centres will help to reduce not only the risk of accidents but also the risk of serious injury.

A report by MoneyGeek compiled data from the US – finding that the risk of a pedestrian fatality drops to as little as 2.8% at a reduced speed of 20mph. This is from 15.7% at 40mph and 6.8% at 30mph.

The UK Government acknowledge that for every 1mph reduction in average speed, collision frequency reduces by 5%.”