Transport secretary Michael Matheson has refused to back a bill calling for a nationwide 20mph speed limit despite a plea from Glasgow City Council.
Councillors urged Mr Matheson to support Mark Ruskell MSP’s proposal, which would Glasgow's urban roads could have 20mph speed limit enforced in bid to combat obesity on most residential and urban streets across Scotland.
Glasgow's urban roads could have 20mph speed limit enforced in bid to combat obesity
A motion, put forward by Councillor Allan Young, requesting Chief Executive Annemarie O’Donnell wrote to the transport secretary was agreed at last month’s full council meeting.
In response, Mr Matheson said: “Changing a speed limit does not guarantee that actual vehicle speeds will change. The guidance on setting all speed limits is clear that they should be reasonable and consistent if they are to be credible to road users and obeyed as a result.
“When considering the introduction of a 20 mph speed restriction there should be an awareness that speed limits are only one element of speed management.
“They should not be set in isolation, but should be considered as part of a range of other measures to manage speeds, improve safety, and meet other objectives, including the encouragement of active travel.”
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Mr Ruskell’s bill is currently the subject of an inquiry by The Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee. The transport secretary said he looks forwarded to reading the committee’s report.
He said: “The Government is committed to the long-term vision for active travel in Scotland where communities are shaped around people, with walking and cycling the most popular choice for shorter everyday journeys.
“We know that the perception of urban roads as unsafe is a barrier against these everyday journeys and the reduction of traffic speed can be a positive step in making our towns and cities safer places, where people are confident to walk and cycle more often.”
He added there were “two different issues” with the bill, whether 20mph limits are beneficial and whether a “blanket approach proposed is the best way of achieving these desired benefits”.
Mr Matheson believes further consideration needs to be given to the consequences of the limit, including an assessment of the country’s road network.
