Labour Councillors have welcomed Westminster Council’s decision to make permanent the 20mph speed limit outside 39 schools, following the recent trials.

Labour say that their ‘20 is Plenty’ campaign, started six years ago, kick-started the Council initiative which should now be extended across all Westminster’s schools and also cover residential areas.

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Labour spokesperson on Environment and City Management, said:

“We welcome the Council’s decision to make the trial 20mph trial zones permanent. It’s a great victory for local residents across the city. The evidence shows that these zones do have a positive impact and we now call on the Council to roll them out right across Westminster in residential areas and outside the rest of our schools”

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) February 2015 briefing for Local Authorities advised that:

“Implementing 20 mph zones, with priority given to protecting children and young people in disadvantaged areas who face the greatest risk, could lead to a 100% return on investment in the first 12 months.”

The NICE report on preventing unintentional road injuries among under-15s https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph31 provides advice to Councils on road design on 20 mph limits, 20mph zones and engineering measures to reduce speed or make routes safer.