Want to Drive to Work at 30km/h?

11 years ago - 3 April 2013, Wheels News
Want to Drive to Work at 30km/h?
CAMBRIDGE, England - Julian Huppert, MP for this university and cathedral city, has been named Road Safety Parliamentarian of the Month by road safety charity Brake for campaigning for a 20mph (32km/h) speed limits across the UK.

The current UK general suburban limit is 30mph (50km/h).

The GO20 coalition, launched by Brake in 2012, calls for a 32km/h limits across built-up areas. The general South African suburban limit is 60km/h so the time needed for your commute would roughly double.

In 2006, as leader of the Liberal Democrats in Cambridgeshire County (provincial) Council, Huppert demanded the council reconsider its unfavourable position on a 32km/h limit, in light of Portsmouth's decision to implement such.

After three years of campaigning, the council agreed to test 32km/h in small areas - such as Cambridge city centre. On March 15 2013 Cambridge council announced almost all roads in the city centre, including several main residential and shopping roads, would gear down to 32km/h from January 2014 to be fully implemented by 2015.

Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive at Brake, said: "Julian's tireless campaign to make walking and cycling safer through 32km/h limits, both in his constituency and nationally, will have a big impact on lives.

 “As part of the GO 20 campaign, Brake is fighting for everyone's right to walk or cycle safely, without fear of fast traffic. By calling for widespread lower limits and debunking myths about 32km/h, Julian has brought this vision a little closer. We look forward to the results of the All-Party Cycling inquiry and thank Julian for his support for GO 20."

Huppert said: "I'm delighted to win this award for a campaign which is so important for making our roads safer and saving lives. I want to see 32km/h limits introduced across all built up areas where cars are likely to come into contact with pedestrians, children walking to school and cyclists.

"Slowing in these areas just makes sense and keeps people safe. I'm delighted Cambridge council is expanding its 20mph limits and I hope councils across the UK will follow its lead."

According to Brake: “Crashes are not accidents; they are devastating and preventable events, not chance mishaps. Calling them accidents undermines work to make roads safer and can cause insult to families whose lives have been torn apart by needless casualties.”