A Local Councillor has told the Lancashire Telegraph of his pleas to Lancashire County Council to install a zebra crossing opposite St Augustine’s RC High School in Billington and for the speed limit to be reduced following an accident in which he was the pedestrian victim on 17th October. Injuries of the utmost severity were sustained, namely a broken leg (in 2 places) and a serious head injury.

Here in the North West, there are constant campaigns to reduce speed limits on our roads. In Warrington, Local Councillor Rod King MBE is campaigning for a speed limit reduction in certain areas in their “20’s Plenty For Us” Campaign. There are no arguments as to whether the implementation of lower speed limits in residential areas is beneficial – without a doubt, a lower speed limit in a built up area is more cost effective to the Council, it is safer for road users as they are able to see hazards further in advance and therefore have more time to react. It is clear that preventative measures reduce casualties and, more importantly, fatalities.

The facts speak for themselves, if a pedestrian is hit by a car travelling at 20mph; they are 40% less likely to be killed than if they were hit by car travelling at 30mph. Reducing the speed limit to 20mph in residential areas will, in conjunction, reduce the number of casualties injured on our roads: indeed statistics obtained by The Times newspaper support this view. Over the period 1986-2006, a study conducted by The Times newspaper found that areas where 20mph speed zones were implemented saw the number of casualties fall by 42%.

The ‘20‘s Plenty for Us’ is a non profit organisation that is campaigning for a default speed limit of 20mph to be implemented in residential and urban areas. This can be done in most areas without the need for any physical traffic calming measures. Nationwide, there are now almost 13 million people living in areas where the local authority has adopted or is in the process of adopting the new speed limit. Locally, Lancashire County Council has rolled out new 20mph zones in Burnley, Hyndburn and Rossendale so we are not far behind.

If you have been injured in a road traffic accident as a pedestrian, driver, passenger or cyclist and have suffered personal injury and other loss as a result, contact us today for a free assessment on 0845 050 1958 or email us.