A REVIEW OF THE 20 MILE/H SPEED ZONES: 1991

Research has shown that when pedestrians are hit by vehicles travelling at 40 mile/h, about 90 per cent are killed; when hit at 30 mile/h, about 45 per cent are killed; and at 20 mile/h, less than 5 per cent are killed. A reduction in vehicle speeds is therefore almost certain to lead to a reduction in the number and severity of pedestrian accidents. In December 1990 the Department of Transport (DTp) issued Circular Roads 4/90 which, for the first time, allows local highway authorities to apply for 20 mile/h speed limit zones. This article reviews briefly the 25 zones for which approval was requested by local authorities up to the end of 1991. Table I gives a list of the zones and information on their size, accidents, etc.