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Motoring news

Portsmouth's 20mph limit 'lowers casualties'

05/10/2009

The city-wide implementation of 20mph zones in Portsmouth has had little influence on driving speed, and no impact on the numbers killed or seriously injured on its roads, it has emerged.

But the scheme has contributed to a fall in accidents leading to slight injuries, an analysis of the scheme's first year has found.

The study, conducted by consultants Atkins for the Department for Transport, revealed that the average traffic speed across the city had fallen by a "not statistically significant" 0.9 miles per hour, compared to the previous three-year average.

However, in specific zones where average speeds had been above 24mph, the average fell by seven miles per hour.

While the number of people killed or seriously injured remained at 19 - the annual average recorded in the three years before the 20mph scheme - the number slightly injured fell markedly, from a three-year average of 166 to 138.

Although the report concludes that the improvements are insignificant compared to national trends, it adds that more data will offer more robust results.

"This interim report is limited in what it can say about the 20mph scheme," said Portsmouth City Council's head of transport and street management, Simon Moon.

"We'll have to wait until it has been running for three years before we get the full picture.

"But there are some encouraging signs in it, especially the result on roads where speeds were significantly higher than 20mph when we imposed the new speed limit.

"We wanted to make our streets more useable for the people who live on them, as well as pedestrians and cyclists."