“Why do we have to wait until a child is killed before we act?” asks Brake, as the charity calls for 20mph speed limits around all schools.
The road safety charity has launched a campaign urging authorities to implement 20mph speed limits in response to concerns raised by parents and carers about the safety of their children on the roads.
According to a recent study conducted by the charity Brake, more than a third (36%) of parents and carers expressed reluctance to walk their children to school due to the high volume of traffic. Additionally, a quarter of respondents cited excessive speeds of vehicles as a deterrent to walking their children to school regularly.
The research, which gathered responses from over 2,000 parents and carers, further revealed that nearly two-thirds (64%) stated that their child’s school lacked 20mph speed limits on surrounding roads.
In light of these findings, the charity is advocating for local authorities to take immediate action by implementing 20mph speed limits near schools. By introducing such measures, the aim is to create a safer environment for pedestrians, particularly children, and encourage more parents to opt for walking routes to school.
In response to the charity’s call, Councillor Linda Taylor, Transport spokesperson for the Local Government Association (LGA) and Leader of Cornwall Council, ‘Many have introduced traffic calming measures including speed restrictions, School Streets, enforcement cameras and crossing patrols to ensure those walking and cycling to schools can do so safely.
Cllr Taylor stressed that each council should consider implementing measures based on their specific local needs, saying ‘It is up to each individual council to introduce measures based on their own local needs taking into account the views of the school, police and local residents. Speed limits exist for a reason and road users must observe them to keep children and parents safe.’
