SE funds 20mph speed limits around schools

The Scottish Executive is providing £27 million funding for local authorities to introduce 20mph speed limits around schools, safer routes to school projects and the development of home zones.

In relation to 20mph schemes, local authorities can implement:

• Mandatory 20mph zones, featuring engineering measures (traffic calming, road humps etc);
• Mandatory 20mph speed limits indicated by standard speed limit signs;
• Mandatory part-time 20mph speed limits, which operate at times when children are going to or from school. These are indicated by electronic signs with flashing lights and are particularly suitable for through roads as delays and disruption to traffic is minimised.

Guidance for local authorities, issued by the Scottish Executive in March, recommended the use of part-time speed limits associated with other measures. 20mph schemes should not be seen in isolation but should form part of a package, along with safer routes to school initiatives, funded through cycling, walking and safer streets allocations.