Skip to main content

IAM RoadSmart ‘unconvinced about value of Edinburgh 20mph scheme’

IAM RoadSmart says it is unconvinced of value of the decision by City of Edinburgh Council to impose a 20mph speed limit on the vast majority of the capital’s streets as of 31 July. The multi-million pound scheme is the first of its kind in Scotland and will affect more than 80 per cent of the city’s roads. IAM RoadSmart, the UK’s independent road safety charity stated that the proposals amounted to a city-wide limit that didn’t address specific problematic roads. Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart policy a
July 29, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
IAM RoadSmart says it is unconvinced of value of the decision by City of Edinburgh Council to impose a 20mph speed limit on the vast majority of the capital’s streets as of 31 July.

The multi-million pound scheme is the first of its kind in Scotland and will affect more than 80 per cent of the city’s roads.

IAM RoadSmart, the UK’s independent road safety charity stated that the proposals amounted to a city-wide limit that didn’t address specific problematic roads.

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart policy and research director, said: “It’s a blanket approach. On some streets, 20mph is a speed that you might aspire to rather than need to limit yourself to. But there are others where it looks and feels safer to go over 20, and that’s potentially confusing because drivers take their cue from the environment.

“If you look at the evidence, what seems to work is measures like speed bumps and narrower roads. Covering whole areas in one 20mph limit and putting up some signs is a cheap way to do it. We’d rather see investment made in dealing with the streets where there will be the most benefit.”

Related Content

  • New IBTTA boss defends DEI initiatives: 'I firmly believe our values don’t change'
    January 24, 2025
    Kathryn Clay insists: 'It's not a political costume you put on when it’s convenient'
  • Huawei advocates for change
    April 23, 2025
    Achieving technological change also requires a shift in mindset, as Jacky Wang, vice president of Huawei’s Smart Transportation business unit, explains
  • Turning information into stories
    April 16, 2018
    IBTTA says its TollMiner tool can transform transportation planning. Here, the tolling organisation explains how it works – and what part it might play in Donald Trump’s infrastructure plan. Imagine being able to turn the black-and-white numbers in a spreadsheet into graphics and visualisations that tell a compelling story about essential transportation infrastructure. Having easy access to the solid, reliable data you need to plan surface transportation projects and assign project resources based on
  • Here’s why WiM is value for money
    January 23, 2025
    Weigh in Motion systems are not new. What is new is their ability to collect more data and – importantly – more accurate data about axle loading and vehicle weight. Despite the obvious benefits, including safer highways and possibility of automated legal weight enforcement, obstacles remain for faster uptake. David Arminas reports on the manufacturers’ perspective…