Millions of motorists ready to welcome 20mph city speed limits

Two in five British drivers – around 12 million people - would welcome a 20mph speed limit on their city’s streets according to a survey by Motorpoint, the UK’s leading car supermarket group, despite warnings from the RAC Foundation that drivers would not accept a blanket speed limit in towns and cities.

Portsmouth has just become the first authority to apply a citywide 20mph maximum after the proposal to cut the urban limit by a third featured in proposals to the Government from the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety late last year.

Motorists could face a mandatory speed limit of 20mph in residential areas if the Government accepts the plan, aimed at reducing the annual death toll of 3,100 people on British roads.

Some 1,200 residential streets are currently included in the Portsmouth strategy, which is being closely monitored by other local authorities. Norwich City Council is said to be moving toward introducing a similar scheme.

Motorpoint managing director David Shelton said: “We know many of our customers are interested in road safety from the questions they ask about safety equipment such as electronic stability control on the cars they buy. And as the only car retailer in membership of RoadSafe, we are committed to delivering the road safety message at point of sale.

“Nevertheless, we were surprised at the extent to which people seem ready to accept a lower speed limit in residential areas, particularly when government TV advertising is still trying to persuade more people to abide by the 30mph limit.”