Lower speed limits recommended on many UK roads

Government issues new guidance regarding speed limits to local councils

Following on from last week’s blog entry about lower speed limits in London leading to lower accidents, it looks like key figures in the government also took notice of the report, as today new advice is being given by ministers to councils encouraging them to cut speed limits in areas with high levels of road accidents.

The advice being given includes 10mph cuts in speed limits for both rural and urban areas.  Areas with high levels of accidents, or roads near to schools and residential areas are the most likely candidates for the cuts which would see a drop in the speed limit from 60mph to 50mph in rural roads and from 30mph to 20mph in urban areas.

Lowering the speed limits in selected areas is one way in which the government is hoping to reach a target of reducing deaths and serious injuries on the roads by 40% by the end of 2010.  In the past decade over 30,000 people have lost their lives in accidents on British roads, but there has been a marked decrease in the number of fatalities in recent years.

In the past, when councils had wanted to lower speed limits on a road, they were also required to introduce traffic calming measures such as speed bumps.  Now these extra measures will no longer be a requirement before the speed limit of a road can be lowered.  Road Safety Minister Paul Clark, speaking about the new measures, said they would allow speed limits to be lowered on roads where it was not practical to build additional traffic calming measures.

High speed road accident claims

Unfortunately, even with measures such as a reduction in the speed limit for certain routes, there will always be accidents on Britain’s roads.  Where you have been involved in an accident and you have been injured, Camps Solicitors can help you to make a road accident claim under a Conditional Fee Agreement, which means you will not have to pay us a penny for our services, Win or Lose!  Call now on 0800 092 8586 to start your accident claim.