A campaign to reduce the nation’s 30 miles per hour urban speed limit to 20 has received Angus Council backing after a bid to throttle back on the authority’s level of support was halted.
Green MSP Mark Ruskell is pursuing a members’ bill in the Scottish Parliament in a drive to bring the default speed limit down by 10mph to make streets safer and cleaner.
The Mid-Scotland and Fife member, who is consulting widely on the idea said: “30 mph limits date back a century and in that time the volume and speed of traffic has increased.
“A lower limit will help us reclaim the streets where we live, shop and go to schools or day centres.
Scottish councils are on Mr Ruskell’s consultation list, but Angus policy and resources committee members wrestled with their level of backing for the idea after officials suggested the authority’s response should be summarised as partially supportive.
Roads officials said: “To be fully supportive of the proposal we would need to receive clarity on how the project would be funded and how such proposals would be enforced leading to a change in culture which is not currently exhibited where we as a council have introduced advisory ‘20’s plenty’ or 20mph speed limits.”
Forfar councillor Braden Davy said: “I can’t help but think our summary response should be partially opposed rather than partially supportive.
“In Angus we have been quite good at having 20s outside schools, and drivers have been good — if everything just becomes 20 will drivers just ignore that?
“I can’t help but think our summary response should be partially opposed rather than partially supportive.”
Councillor Sheila Hands said: “This will morph several times before it gets to any legislation stage and I think tat if we partially oppose it at this point we are sending out the wrong message.
“As a responsible authority we should be looking at making our streets safer.”
Montrose councillor Bill Duff added: “I know Edinburgh have introduced 20 limits in streets out with the centre so let’s see how they get on with that and see if we can learn lessons. I don’t think we should be quibbling too much about whether we are partially supportive or partially opposed.”
The committee voted 8-7 in favour of the ‘partially supportive’ summary response from the authority.
