We let the following published voices speak for themselves as they justify why 20 is Plenty in the streets where lots of people live. We start with the House of Commons 10 Minute Bill presented by the Liberal Democrat MP John Leech.

The campaign this Bill started has since been taken to many towns and cities across the UK.  Of the many cities which have already embraced the changes we present you with voices from Newcastle, Oxford and Portsmouth.  And to give you a flavour of how campaigns are still progressing elsewhere, you can read the latest update from Northern Ireland. 

You can help our Stockport campaign by collecting signatures for our petition, by joining our campaign committee and/or passing the great news of our campaign aims to all your colleagues, friends and family.  Thanks !!! 

RESIDENTIAL STREETS SET FOR 20mph LIMITS - 12.01.00am GMT Mon 22nd Dec 2008

A blanket 20mph speed limit looks set to be introduced on Newcastle's residential streets. Only major bus routes and roads with heavy volumes of traffic would be excluded under the city council plan.

It would take four years to change the speed limit on every street in the city, at a cost of around £1.4 million, including news signs and introducing the necessary legal orders. Councillor Peter Arnold says: "This has been a Lib Dem manifesto commitment for several years, so I am pleased it is happening.  This is good news for all residential areas across Denton Ward. I hope all motorists will respect these new limits and stick to 20mph. The evidence shows that 20mph limits have a huge effect in increasing pedestrian safety and reducing deaths and serious injuries on our roads."

3.10.00am GMT Sun 30th Nov 2008:

The South Heaton Focus Team has welcomed the Lib Dem-run council's decision to extend 20mph zones across all residential streets across Newcastle. The two-year programme delivers on another Lib Dem manifesto commitment for the city.  Following evaluation, it has now been agreed that all predominantly residential roads should be included - although major local roads and bus super-routes, such as Chillingham Road, will remain at 30mph.

Councillor Greg Stone, Parliamentary spokesman for Newcastle East, says: "This is good news for residential areas like Cochrane Park and St Gabriels and we hope drivers will respect the new limits. Evidence shows 20mph limits have a huge effect in increasing safety and reducing deaths and serious injuries on our roads."

The example of Newcastle shows that it can be done - and how it is done:  "The £1.4 million cost of the programme is funded from the some of the dividend the City Council received from Newcastle Airport, so will not cost council tax payers a penny."                                                                                                                      (back)   

Following extensive consultation lasting several months, the county council cabinet member for transport has made a decision on behalf of the council to introduce 20 mph speed limits on most roads inside the city limits. The decision makes Oxford only the second city in Britain (after Lib Dem-run Portsmouth) to introduce the lower speed limit on a such a wide scale.

Lib Dems on both Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council have been among the leading supporters of the campaign to reduce speeds on roads in residential areas, to minimise vehicle accidents and injuries.

Said Cllr Alan Armitage, who represents an area of the city which already contains a 20 mph zone: "The focus now must be on how best to manage the signing and enforcement. Unfortunately, national police policies are against using their resources to monitor and enforce 20 mph speed limits, but locally there may be some flexibility. Residents in my area are still worried about the small minority of drivers who endanger the lives of children and other pedestrians in the residential areas."

The use of roundels painted onto road surfaces is also widely supported, rather than relying just on small roadside speed signs. Roundels have been successfully used in Oxford in the Cowley Road 20 mph zone. Where police have taken enforcement action against drivers exceeding the 20 mph speed limit elsewhere, people often claim that they were not aware that they were in a 20 mph zone. These excuses need to be eliminated.

Oxford Cyclists' assessment (30/09/08)

"Overall, I feel the benefits of 20mph outweigh the costs. It is true, driving will take a bit longer, but compared to the benefits of lower road fatalities and a safer road environment it appears a minimal cost. It would definitely be a boon to cycling and walking.

For a long time, society has kind of accepted the fact 3,000 road fatalities as just one of those things. But, maybe that is changing.  Maybe people will feel that reducing road fatalities should be a much  higher priority, even if it requires unpopular measures.

Look at how much inconvenience people put up with, on the very minor possibility of terrorists using water to blow up planes. We will do anything to reduce the risk of a potential attack on a plane. But, when it comes to easy measures to actually have an impact in saving lives on the road, society seems far more willing to drag its heals." For source click HERE.                                       (back) 

Could Portsmouth's 20mph approach work on residential streets nationwide? - 11.00.43pm GMT Sun 23rd Nov 2008

Vauxhall Lib Dem campaigner Caroline Pidgeon travelled with the London Assembly's Transport Committee to Portsmouth on Tuesday 18 November to assess how effectively the 20mph limit introduced on all residential streets is improving road safety in the seaside city.

The visit was the chance to gather evidence from Portsmouth City Council for the Transport Committee's investigation into 20mph zones in London. To date, London boroughs and Transport for London (TfL) have introduced almost 400 specific 20mph zones in the capital. Portsmouth has gone a step further - introducing a default 20mph speed limit on all residential streets.

"We are currently looking at the impact 20mph zones have had on road safety in London - and whether a default limit similar to Portsmouth's would be more effective. Last year there were 28,000 casualties and 222 deaths on London's roads. Of those deaths, 109 were pedestrians and 15 were cyclists", said Caroline Pidgeon AM.   "It was good to visit a Lib Dem run Borough and to hear how they have put such an interesting approach to tackle road safety into practice with the support of the local population" added Caroline."                                                                                                                             

Portsmouth City Council is the first in Britain to make almost all its residential roads 20mph. Its plan, funded by the government, has attracted national attention and stimulated interest from other councils.

The 20mph limit is proposed for roads where the average speed is already 24mph or less. We have installed prominent 20mph signs where drivers enter the new speed restrictions, as well as 'repeater' signs as reminders. It has been found elsewhere that this method reduces speeds by 3-4mph.  Road humps are not part of the scheme, although if speeds do not drop on particular roads, then residents will be consulted again to see if they want additional measures. In most cases the 20mph limit will be self-enforcing and further speed enforcement measures will not be needed.

Cllr Alex Bentley, Executive Member for Environment and Transportation, said: "On most of our residential roads, it's not safe or appropriate to drive at more than 20mph, because they're narrow and lined with parked cars. What we want to do is target the small number of drivers who drive at inappropriate speeds without regard for road safety or respect for anyone else. A pedestrian hit by a car travelling at 20mph is likely to suffer slight injuries, but at 30mph they are likely to be severely hurt. At 40mph or above they are likely to be killed.

"This scheme has won Portsmouth lots of attention for its boldness in improving safety for our residents. I'm sure it could save lives, particularly those of children and elderly people, and get more people cycling. We believe the scheme will be mainly self-policing. If the new limit isn't respected on some roads, we will look at other measures or get police involved. We want to change the culture in the city so that speeding in residential areas is seen to be what it is - dangerous and anti-social."

The majority of residential roads are covered by the 20mph limit, apart from major north-south and east-west routes including London Road, Northern Parade, Mile End Road, Eastern Road, and the seafront - which will keep their current limits. (Council News).                                                                                                                                                                    (back)