Civic leaders are calling for a 20mph speed limit in residential streets to save lives in the Forest of Dean.
The Forest of Dean District Council supports the Stockholm Declaration which calls for a maximum speed of 20mph in areas where vulnerable road users and vehicles mix except where strong evidence exists that higher speeds are safe.
They are calling on Gloucestershire County Council to consult with district councils, town, parish councils and local communities by no later than 30 April 2025.
This would be to identify areas which would benefit from a 20mph speed limit, and to provide the necessary funding to implement these changes.
The council will also write to Forest MP Mark Harper asking him to support the proposals.
Councillor Mark Topping (Green, Lydney West & Aylburton), who presented the motion at last night’s (December 2) council meeting, said if a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle travelling at 40mph they have a 90% chance of being killed.
However, he said they have a 95% chance of surviving if they are hit at 20mph.
“If we can reduce average speeds on a road by 1%, casualties are reduced by 6%,” he said.
“Where 20mph limits have been introduced, there was a 20% reduction in the number of casualties.
“In Gloucestershire in 2019, there were 468 road casualties on 30mph roads of which one was fatal and 132 were serious.”
He said there would have been a 20% casualty reduction would have meant 70 fewer casualties on the county’s roads.
He said the introduction of 20mph limits is a win-win as it reduces road casualties along with noise and pollution.
Cllr James Bevan (Independent Alliance, Lydney East) said he supported the motion and said the 20mph limit already works well in Lydney.
And Cllr Gill Moseley (Lib Dem, Newent and Taynton) said the campaign was far more than a local initiative and was endorsed by the Government in 2020.
“This 20mph motion is intended to help bring about a cultural shift in behaviour where it is no longer acceptable to drive fast,” she said.
Cllr Nick Evans (Con, Tidenham) said he was really pleased to support the motion and said they need to take road safety very seriously particular in a rural area such as the Forest.
“You are seven times more likely to be killed on a road in Gloucestershire than be a victim of homicide,” he said.
“Speed is one of the fatal four contributors to death and serious injury on our roads and I am supportive of lower speeds in order to save lives.”
The council voted to approve the motion by 24 votes in favour with four abstentions.
By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter