Road Safety Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 67:"After Clause 16, insert the following new clause—"    ““DEFAULT SPEED LIMIT (1)   The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (c. 27) is amended as follows. (2)   In section 81 (general speed limit for restricted roads), for subsection (1) substitute— ““(1)   It shall not be lawful for a person to drive a motor vehicle on a restricted road at a speed exceeding 20 mile per hour.””””. The noble Earl said: This amendment would introduce a default 20 mile per hour limit in urban areas. Twenty mile per hour zones have been shown to be remarkably effective ways to reduce road deaths and injuries in urban areas, especially among children. They may also help to improve the quality of urban environments. In Hull and   elsewhere, properly enforced 20 mile per hour speed   limits have demonstrated a reduction in casualties by up to 70 per cent among child pedestrians and up to 60 per cent among other vulnerable road users. Some people have argued for a 20 mile per hour limit outside all schools. Although that would be beneficial, the school journey accounts for less than 20 per cent of child casualties. Children are also at risk where they live and play, and reducing speeds throughout residential areas would greatly increase child safety. A recent study by the Health Development Agency found that the expansion of 20 mile per hour zones to all residential areas could prevent 13,000 child pedestrian deaths and injuries—equivalent to two-thirds of the total. Instituting a default 20 mile per hour limit in urban areas would make 20 miles per hour the norm. However, local authorities would be free to set higher speed limits on suitable roads. Several local authorities, including Southwark and Camden, are already adopting that approach. To extend it nationally would save a great many more lives. I beg to move.