56% of parents want slower road speeds near schools

Most parents are in favour of cutting the speed limit near to schools, according to fresh research from Sustrans.

Over half (56%) of parents said they want their school run to be on roads within 20mph limits, yet only 5% of parents surveyed said that they have routes to primary schools covered by 20mph. Nearly a quarter (23%) have no 20mph areas at all.

Over two thirds (67%) stated that they would be more likely to walk or cycle to school if the speed was reduced to 20mph.

The adoption of 20mph as the national default speed for built up areas is a realistic solution, says Sustrans, reducing the ‘postcode lottery’ of safer speed limits.

“Road incidents are the biggest cause of preventable death and injury among children," said Claire Francis, Sustrans Head of Policy.

“This poll reveals the stark gap between the public’s desire for safer roads specifically brought about by 20mph and what actually exists in their communities.

“A national 20mph default speed limit in built-up areas would ensure that the majority of school journeys would be made along streets with slower speeds. This would make everyone’s journey safer and allow children and parents freedom to choose healthier alternatives to getting into the car for the school run.

“We need the law to change so that 20mph speed limits are the default in built up areas. 20mph improves safety and can reduce the need to spend on new infrastructure”.

Parents in London were the most likely to want to walk or cycle to school if their journey was on roads where the speed was 20mph, with over 80% stating so.

Rod King MBE, Founder of 20s Plenty for Us commented: “At the national 20mph conference in Cambridge today we will be highlighting the fact that many of the UKs largest urban authorities are already setting 20mph limits for 80-90% of their streets.

“The current 30mph national limit is being rejected as “unfit for purpose” for communities so we’re setting out a series of government actions required for a planned transition to a UK default urban limit of 20mph by 2020.”

The Gorkana Surveys poll quizzed 2,000 adults with children in primary school in the UK.