65% of Scots Agree on an Urban Speed Limit of 20mph

A 20mph urban speed limit is supported by nearly two-thirds of Scots, the results of a recent survey report.

Of those who gave their viewpoint, a Survation poll of 1,018 individuals for the Scottish Greens presented that 65% were supportive of the idea.  Also, when the “don’t know” are removed, an additional 24.4% could be happy with a lower speed.

Green Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP), Mark Ruskell, said recently that he will begin a consultation on the bill another member has suggested in order to change the default speed limit in urban areas to 20 mph from 30 mph.  Ruskell said there was “real momentum” behind the decrease as evidenced in the Survation survey.

According to Ruskell, “A wide range of interests from transport and health experts to environmental campaigners back the idea.  And it’s great that we now know that a majority of the Scottish public are behind it.

“We have a great opportunity to make a small change that will have huge benefits for pedestrian safety, especially children and the elderly.

“It’s also good news for public health generally, as lower limits reduce air pollution and, as this poll shows, it will encourage more people to cycle along their streets,” Ruskell concluded.

Stuart Hay, director of Living Streets Scotland, shared that:  “We know that many communities across Scotland are concerned about the speed of vehicles in their streets.

“We also know that if speed is reduced then people of all ages are more likely to walk and cycle to school, to work and for local journeys.  Streets with low speed limits become more liveable spaces.”

Friends of the Earth also is supporting the bill, hailing it as “an important step toward helping Scotland’s children breathe clean air,” per Emilia Hanna, an advocate working against air pollution.