20mph speed limits in Wales: One year on

The nationwide charity that promotes everyday walking has this week applauded the success of 20mph speed limits one year after their introduction across Wales.

Catherine Woodhead, Chief Executive of Living Streets, said:  “The 20mph speed limit is already saving lives in Wales. The number of people injured on 20 and 30mph roads in the nation fell by almost a third in the final quarter of last year, with six fewer fatalities recorded, meaning that fewer families will be affected by a preventable death. "

“When a person is hit at 30mph, they are around five times more likely to be killed than if they were hit at 20mph. By slowing down, drivers in Wales are saving lives. "

“Reduced speeds also make people more likely to walk or cycle short distances rather than driving, which is better for their health and the environment. 20mph must remain the default speed limit for residential streets in Wales so that everyone can enjoy safer streets, improved air quality and opportunities to exercise.”

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The idea that towns and cities are cleaner, safer for walking and cycling, and generally nicer places to spend time when car speeds are reduced rankles with those who'd prefer to prioritise driving. No surprise then that some resort to flimsy arguments in favour of the status quo. Here are three:

20mph speed limits force me to drive in a lower gear

This might be the case if you're driving a high-revving classic sports car, but if you're behind the wheel of a modern car you'll be able to comfortably maintain 20mph in third or even fourth gear. If you don't believe us, then watch our our video. We drove a little city car with a one-litre engine on 20mph-limited streets to see how it performed.

https://vimeo.com/824088719?share=copy

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20mph limits mean I'll use more fuel

Reducing peak road speeds in areas where people live, work or play saves energy and cash. Research into typical stop/start urban traffic by Future Transport reveals fuel efficiency peaks with speed capped at 20mph. Drivers  benefit from up to 10p per mile in fuel savings without trips taking longer. That's a 30 per cent saving in urban fuel costs.

In built-up towns and villages, the key factor in fuel consumption is the number of times you accelerate back up to the speed limit after slowing down or stopping - the higher the speed limit then the greater that acceleration influences fuel consumption.

Engineering consultants at Future Transport modelled the fuel efficiency in accelerating from stopped to between 5 and 40mph. For a typical urban drive cycle - with repeated acceleration and deceleration - fuel efficiency peaks at a top speed of 15-20mph.

To drive at 20mph I need to keep my eyes focussed on the speedo and that's not safe

If you're unable to maintain a particular speed without your eyes glued to the speedo, driving's not for you. One of the things learner drivers master early on is the ability to keep to a particular speed while occasionally glancing at the speedometer to check their speed hasn't crept up. It's a basic skill that's assessed by examiners as part of the driving test. After all, driving steadily at 20mph is no different from maintaining 30, 40 or 70mph.

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