Cheshire West and Chester Council’s four-year programme to increase the number of 20mph speed limits on residential roads and outside schools has achieved impressive results to make communities safer.
An analysis of the locations implemented in year one of the programme has revealed a 65% reduction in vehicle collisions, a 40% reduction in collisions where someone is killed or seriously injured and a 69% reduction in collisions causing slight injuries.
An overall reduction in speed of 0.4mph has been calculated. Across the locations 15% fewer vehicles are now travelling above 25mph and 17% fewer vehicles are travelling above 30mph.
Councillor Karen Shore, Cabinet Member for Environment said: “In January 2016, the Council agreed to introduce 20mph speed limited on suitable residential roads and around schools to deliver significant benefits including a reduction in road traffic collisions and to encourage more people to walk and cycle.
“We are now in the middle of our four-year programme. We have undertaken a detailed evaluation of the 20mph schemes delivered in the first year and a report containing the results was presented to the Council’s Scrutiny Committee earlier this month. The results show our 20mph schemes are making a difference in our communities.
“Further analysis and data collecting will now continue, as well as awareness campaigns to change behaviour over time to ensure the new speed limits become firmly embedded in communities.
“Over fifty per cent of our goal of 128 locations is now complete and in the final fourth year we will assess 68 more locations for suitability.”
Locations that have seen significant success in vehicle speed reductions are Hoole in Chester, Stanney Grange in Ellesmere Port, Hartford in Winsford and Moulton in Northwich.