20mph zones introduced to make roads safer 'can lead to rise in traffic deaths'

People less careful when crossing streets in 20mph zones, council suggests
Mixed evidence: The case for 20mph limits has been questioned by the results from Bath
Backspace99/Wikimedia
Eleanor Rose18 December 2017

New 20mph speed zones that were supposed to make roads safer can result in more deaths and serious injuries, according to a review of the measures.

Thirteen lower speed limit areas were brought in a year ago, at a cost of £871,000, by Bath and North East Somerset council in the hope there would be fewer fatal accidents.

But in seven of them, the number of deaths and serious injuries rose rather than falling, said the council's evaluation.

The review said: "There is no simple explanation for this adverse trend but it could be that local people perceive the area to be safer due to the presence of the 20mph restrictions and thus are less diligent when walking and crossing roads, cycling or otherwise travelling."

Although deputy leader Patrick Anketell-Jones admitted the results were unpromising, he said that reversing the scheme by taking down the signs would be costly.

The Conservative councillor told the Telegraph: "It has cost over £800,000 to roll out the 20mph zone and it would probably cost the same to reverse them.

"We just haven't got the money. I'm pretty sure the 20mph zones will stay in place for the foreseeable future."

The scheme was implemented in 2011 based on research that shows a child struck by a car at 20mph is significantly more likely to survive than at 30mph.

Some research showed a child hit at 30mph had a 20 per cent chance of death compared with only 2.5 per cent at 20mph, although later studies suggested the difference was more likely to be 8 per cent versus 1.5 per cent.

Reductions in fatalities and injuries were seen in the lower speed limit zones in central Bath, but the worrying increase was seen in rural areas and smaller towns.

It is not the first time that 20mph zones have produced adverse results.

In 2010, a review by the Department for Transport of a similar initiative in Portsmouth found the rate of fatalities and serious injuries on affected roads rose instead of falling.

However, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, 20mph speed limits used both alone - as in Bath and North East Somerset - and in conjunction with other traffic-calming measures such as speed humps are overall effective.

Its review published in November said: "Evidence shows that 20mph zones are an effective way of preventing injuries on the road."

But more long-term research is needed to assess the impact of 20mph limits used alone compared with zones including other traffic calming measures, which are thought to be more effective.

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