CAMPAIGNERS in York are set to stage an event this week looking at turning York’s roads into 20mph speed limits.
Former city councillor, Anna Semlyen has been the national campaign manager for 20’s Plenty since 2010 and is passionate about the topic, having been involved in a collision with a car in Melrosegate in York in 1992.
On Thursday (November 9) 20’s Plenty for York, Action Vision Zero York and York Cycle Campaign are meeting at Cycle Heaven in Hospital Fields Road in Fulford to explain the benefits of moving to 20mph speed limits.
Anna say the event is in preparation for a council consultation on traffic reduction.
For Anna, the reduced speed limit will be a wide-ranging solution to a variety of issues, she said: “It’s morally the right thing to do.”
Wales has recently defaulted to 20mph speed limits, meaning the majority of their roads now operate at this speed.
According to Anna, this will save them £96 million in spend on road casualties each year, after the move cost the Welsh government £33 million to put the new speed limits in place.
Anna also stated that the lowered speed limit would save 30 per cent on fuel and average only 17 seconds more per mile. She said: “There’s no good reason to have 30mph where pedestrians and cyclists are mixing with motorists.
“For many people, crossing the road is the most dangerous thing you’re ever going to do.”
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Furthermore, Anna believes the new speed limits would benefit tourism, making the roads around the train station and Lendal Bridge safer for pedestrians.
According to the Department for Transport, traffic on roads increased by 8.8 per cent between 2021 and 2022 in Great Britain generally.
Anna believes by reducing speed limits the policy will encourage people to get out of their cars and walk short distances instead.
The campaign event on November 9 will also see Professor Tony May of York Civic Trust and John Cossham of the York World Naked Bike Ride speak on issues of road safety.
The public meeting on road speed and safety policy runs from 7.30pm-9pm. Everyone is welcome and there’s no need to book.
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