Encouraging the 20 mph speed limit

As a way to help encourage and raise awareness of the 20 mph speed limit in parts (if not most) of Bristol, how about having Council vehicles driving around at 20 mph or less with banners/adverts on the vehicles themselves highlighting the speed limit? This could even perhaps also be done in unmarked cars - i.e. the more people are actually keeping to the limit the more others will follow their example. Either way if the speed limit is kept to - especially by the Council - then this will raise awareness of the limit and encourage others to do the same.

Why the contribution is important

Because we have a city that is trying to create safer, quieter and calmer streets which the 20 mph limit is there to assist, and this idea would help people catch on to the changes more easily through positive example rather than punitive measures.

by user250198 on December 27, 2013 at 01:50PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.0
Based on: 17 votes

Comments

  • Posted by user251846 December 31, 2013 at 14:46

    Council operatives and officers must and will observe speed limits where applicable, but pootling around the city art a speed not much above walking pace will be of little benefit to those whom they are trying to serve. Better to have a 20mph limit throughout the city applied to everyone, not just a selected few.

  • Posted by user332352 January 07, 2014 at 12:02

    What benefits make 20mph preferable to 30mph?
    I find as a pedestrian that the 20mph limit lulls pedestrians into a false sense of security. Look left and right cross and that car you thought was doing 20 is now honking their horn cos you just walked out in front of them.

    At 30mph pedestrians are more warey and prefer to cross at designated spots.

    20mph around schools and on tight back roads is acceptable but city wide will increase pollution at ground level.

  • Posted by user765961 January 09, 2014 at 17:10

    As a pedestrian who daily crosses where the closest designated spot is a long way away I welcome the introduction of the 20 mph speed limit. At that speed I have more of a fighting chance to cross successfully than I had when the speed limit was higher. My only concern is that there will be insufficient enforcement of the new limit.

  • Posted by user411811 January 14, 2014 at 10:18

    @Bristol_born_realist - I think the benefits of 20mph is that of killing/ seriously injuring less people, surely?
    I understand your reasoning of "more dangerous roads makes people more precautionary around them" but I'm not sure if that is true. I'm going to avoid a car even it's doing 5 mph, I don't need it to have wheel mounted knives and electric cattle prods to make me not want to collide with it.
    Also, as someone who cycles, I can say that the roads in 20mph feel safer, and I get the impression that drivers are less likely to drive aggressively in wanting to pass.
    And with regards enforcement, I'm not sure if it's needed? people on the whole stick to speed limits +/- 5mph. Even young, passionate, naive drivers will drive slower in a 20 zone than a 30 zone.

  • Posted by user835971 January 20, 2014 at 13:37

    The 20mph speed limit is great and should apply across every bit of the city but promoting it in this way would be daft, for the following reasons:

    cuts to Council funding means we are struggling to provide essential services to the most disadvantaged in the city - funding that would have to be diverted to fund this;

    the pollution created would increase the already high levels of asthma among young children;

    the need for fossil fuels to run it (given that even electricity-generation relies on them) makes it an unsustainable solution.
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