News - Twenty is Plenty
Green Party " Twenty is plenty" calls for 20mph speed limit outside schools as part of 'children's right to health safety, and justice'
At the council meeting of 26th June, Green Party councillor Matt Follett will ask the ruling administration to follow the example of cities like Portsmouth, Norwich, Lancaster, and Aberdeen and implement tougher speed restrictions in order to improve road safety, and suggest that we should particularly focus on child safety around schools.
Cllr Follett said "There are 3 key reasons why this is a good idea:
1) Safety for children - The World Health Organisation has provided scientific evidence that the chances of pedestrian fatality are massively increased once you are above 20 mph
2) Health - the national cycling body the CTC have stated that people would ride bikes and walk more if it wasn't for safety concerns for children, so 20mph outside schools would help increase children's health
3) Social justice - the IPPR Streets Ahead report shows that child pedestrian injuries are four times as likely in poorer areas, than in richer areas.
Fellow Green party councillor and well known promoter of the benefits of cycling , Cllr Phil Gordon, added "Anyone who cycles regularly knows that you would increase cycle use, which would impact on safety and health, the environment and congestion, if you reduced car speeds. Its common sense to take action that will make parents feel safer about their children cycling and walking.
Lets all get behind this and recognise that, to coin a phrase, Twenty is plenty!"
Cllr Follett concluded "I want all parties at the council, and parents and schools, and the wider public, to get behind this, not get bogged down around issues of enforcement, and start taking positive action that will really kick start communities feeling confident in kids walking to school. We need to have children's rights to health, safety, and justice, and this would really help that.
Page 78 of WHO report "World Report on Road traffic Injury Prevention"
For further information call Matt Follett on 07890 564 754
