Fewer casualties on roads where 20mph speed limits are in place

Initial data following the introduction of 20mph speed limits on Wirral roads is showing success at reducing the number of casualties – as well the speed at which motorists are driving.

An evaluation of the first year of the programme looked at the 15 locations in Wirral where 20mph speed limits were introduced as part of phase one. It is being reported back to members of the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee at their meeting on 9th July.

The report shows an overall reduction in the number of reported collisions in which someone was injured and the number of collisions where someone was killed or seriously injured in the areas covered under phase one of the 20mph programme.

In addition, the report shows that, on average, the speed at which motorists are driving through those speed limit areas has fallen in each of the 15 locations - in one area, by nearly five miles per hour.

The rationale behind the introduction of widespread 20mph speed limits in Wirral was that they would ‘deliver significant benefits, including a reduction in average vehicular speeds, a reduction in road traffic collisions and encourage more children to walk and cycle to school’.

The evaluation of phase one involved an analysis of data taken in each of the five years before implementation and the ‘after ‘data, taken over the course of the first year of the new speed limits being implemented.

The data collected gave an overview of aspects such as vehicle speed and flow of traffic, the number of road traffic collisions and on the wider public health, social and environmental benefits of reduced traffic movements and speed in residential areas.

The evaluation highlighted a number of key findings:

• An overall reduction of 2.9mph in average speed across all schemes after year one.
• A 12% reduction in road traffic collisions.
• A 23% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI).
• An 8% reduction in those slightly injured (SI) in collisions.
• 28% fewer vehicles travelling above 25mph (based on traffic daily flow).
• 51% fewer vehicles travelling above 30mph (based on traffic daily flow).
• 64% more vehicles travelling below 20mph (based on traffic daily flow).
• A reduction in average speeds on 20mph roads in all of the scheme areas
• More than 300 fixed penalty notices issued by Merseyside Police officers enforcing the speed limits in these areas.

The first phase of the 20mph programme in Wirral became fully-operation towards the end of 2023 after members of the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee approved its implementation earlier that year. Further phases have since been introduced and will be subject to the same evaluation after years one and three.

Members of the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee are recommended to note and endorse the results of the evaluation at the meeting on 9th July.