2009 press releases

14th July: Local MP calls for reduced speed limits in school zones

Lewes MP Norman Baker has called for East Sussex County Council to introduce variable 20 miles per hour speed limits on roads outside vulnerable primary schools in the Lewes constituency, and has called for a more flexible approach to speed limits around schools in the area.

Variable speed limits in school areas operate by bringing 20 mph limits into effect outside schools, but only during identified school peak periods, when children are most likely to be crossing roads outside schools.

Lib Dem Mr Baker, also his party's Transport Spokesman, made the appeal after Transport Minister Paul Clark confirmed in an answer to a Parliamentary answer to him that local highway authorities have the power to implement such 20mph limits outside schools if they believe it appropriate to do so.

Department for Transport research indicates that while almost every child will survive a collision with a car travelling at 20 miles per hour, only 80% of children would survive a similar collision with a car travelling at 30 mph. A child hit at 40 mph has only a 20% chance of survival.

Norman Baker commented:

"Research has shown that there is an enormous difference to pedestrians between a car travelling at 20 miles per hour compared with one moving at 30 mph. A child is far more likely to survive an impact with a car if it is travelling at 20 mph. If a car is travelling even slightly above a 30 mph limit, the chances of survival for the average child become significantly worse.

"I appreciate that there is a cost involved, but I hope East Sussex County Council would agree that there are particularly vulnerable primary schools where variable 20 mph zones might save lives. I am thinking in particular of the section of road outside Hamsey primary school and the road past Annecy RC Primary School in Seaford, amongst others.

"We need a more flexible approach to speed limits generally. For example, while there may often be a need for tighter restrictions at peak school times, some roads may be safe with a 40 mph limit outside school hours, such as the road past St Peter's School in North Chailey."

"I believe that a more flexible approach would ensure greater compliance with the law, as drivers would understand the rationale for speed limits, and would be more responsive to limits based on logic rather than those based on an arbitrary figure."

Notes

1. Norman Baker's Parliamentary Question which explains that local highway authorities have the power to implement variable 20 mph zones, can be accessed here.
2. The Department for Transport's research into deaths and injuries caused by vehicles travelling at different speeds can be accessed here.

|Home

|Issues

|Press

|Norman and his work

|Useful Links

|Contact Norman

|Site map and Search

|Norman's flickr page

|Norman's Facebook page

|National LibDem site