The council agreed in January 2015 to implement a network of 20 mph speed limits to reduce traffic speeds across the city, and at next week’s Transport Committee meeting they will explain the process by which they will do this.
The council propose to introduce one Speed Limit Order to implement the new network rather than a piecemeal process on a street by street basis. It is still going to be a lengthy procedure and the earliest estimate is that the new limits will be brought into force this time next year. The council will have to put up notices on every street to be affected, there will be press advertising presumably in the Edinburgh Evening News and the council will have full details on their website.
Not all streets will become 20mph zones and it is important to note that the arterial routes in and out of the city will remain at either 30mph or 40mph as before. There is an interactive map below.
There was a public consultation carried out last year but Edinburgh residents will have another chance to have their say during the statutory process to introduce a Speed Limit Order.
The Edinburgh Reporter spoke to Transport Convener Councillor Lesley Hinds about how the scheme will be introduced:
A pilot project in South Edinburgh was deemed very successful by the council and did result in reduced speeds through the area.
It is hoped that all the changes can be introduced by signage rather than speed bumps or chicanes which would be more expensive to install. The council says it has already cut £300,000 off the design cost by removing some side streets, such as short cul-de-sacs off 30mph roads, from the network.
The only way that the whole city could be covered by a blanket default 20mph speed limit would be to have legislation introduced at Holyrood, and this would also take much longer to achieve. Edinburgh is the first city in Scotland to introduce the 20mph network and the Scottish Government will be asked to contribute to the costs of its introduction as it will provide useful information for any future schemes. Sustrans the charity which supports travel by foot, bike and public transport is also likely to contribute to the costs which are expected to be around £500,000 each year for the next three years. Half of the cost is expected to be paid for by Holyrood who have previously shown support for the move.
The council is mindful that the speed limits will have to be monitored and enforced by Police Scotland and say that “Police Scotland recognise speed management is an important element and will continue to enforce 20,30 and 40mph speed limits across the city road network”. The Transport Convener confirmed that the enforcement of all speed limits is included in the Service Level Agreement which the council had entered into with Police Scotland. But there is an admission that the changes will mean a complete change in driving culture across the city and that this is more difficult to introduce.
The council recommended the speed reduction on some streets to make them safer for all road users including car drivers, pedestrians and cyclists. It is hoped that by making traffic slow down in certain areas there will be a reduction in numbers and severity of any road casualties on these streets.
The proposal is to introduce the scheme in phases over three years, and the first area to be affected will be the City Centre and Rural West districts.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
