Council to debate introducing 20mph speed limit outside all Wakefield district schools

The council is also being asked to consider extending the speed reduction on all areas of high pedestrian activity, including high streets.

Pete Girt, Lib Dem councillor for Knottingley, has proposed a motion which will be considered at a full council meeting on Wednesday (March 22).

Coun Girt’s motion states: “Wakefield Council does not currently have a policy regarding speed limits surrounding schools and, rather than acting proactively, the highways department will not consider introducing a 20mph limit in the vicinity of a school unless there have already been injury-related road traffic accident.

“Research has shown that lowering the speed limit not only helps reduce the risk of an accident occurring, but also significantly increases the chances of a pedestrian surviving an impact with a moving motor vehicle.”

The motion refers to research carried out by the 20’s Plenty for Us campaign group.

The not-for-profit organisation has over 600 local groups campaigning to make cities, towns and villages safer around the world.

The group says speed reduction is significant to casualty levels because, where speeds are reduced to 20mph through traffic calming, casualties fall by around two-fifths.

The Labour-led Welsh government has introduced a scheme to reduce the speed limit from 30mph to 20mph on all restricted roads across Wales.

The new speed limits will come into force in September.

Coun Girt’s motion proposes to:

– Produce and implement a policy of 20mph speed limits in areas of high pedestrian activity, especially streets surrounding schools.

– Carry out review of speed limits in all towns across the district, with a view to introducing a 20mph limit in these areas.

– Request government funding to implement the scheme.