Britain becomes '20mph zone' overnight

The horrendous driving conditions caused by this week’s icy weather yesterday resulted in a self-imposed 20mph speed limit across much of the country.

As motorists struggled to negotiate slippery roads, the speed of traffic on many roads yesterday rarely exceeded 20mph.

The Environmental Transport Association (ETA) coined the phrase ‘twenty is plenty’ in the nineties as the strap line for a campaign to reduce the speed limit on the roads where people live, work and go to school.

A spokesperson from the ETA said: “In severe driving conditions, many motorists realise that 20mph is the safest speed for themselves – they may not realise that it on many roads it is safer for pedestrians, cyclists and children at all other times, too.”

“20mph zones not only reduce casualty figures, they improve quality of life by transforming streets into areas where people are happy to cycle and children are able to play.”

20mph zones show impressive results

The introduction of 20mph speed limits over the last two decades in areas of London has contributed towards a 50 per cent reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured on the roads.

Research published online in the British Medical Journal examined casualty rates between 1986 and 2006 and found that in spite of a steady decline in the number of road casualties in London, the additional effect of the 20 mph zones was a reduction in casualties and collisions by an amount that has taken over 20 years to achieve on roads without them.

• Child-shaped bollards help slow traffic