Calls for 20mph limits to be introduced around all UK schools
Thu, 15 Jun 2023
Road safety charity Brake is urging the implementation of 20mph speed limits around all schools in the UK.
Last year 48 children died on UK roads and many parents believe the roads are unsafe for their children to walk to school.
The research, conducted by Brake, found that 36% of parents and carers don't walk their children to school every day due to busy roads, while 25% cited cars travelling at high speeds as a concern.
Furthermore, 64% of parents reported that their child's school lacks 20mph speed limits on surrounding roads.
The call for safer roads coincides with Brake's Kids Walk, an event in which over 110,000 children from more than 720 schools and nurseries across the country are participating. The initiative aims to highlight children's right to safe and healthy journeys free from the threat of traffic.
Brake has also released data on child casualties on UK roads, revealing that 11,580 children aged 15 or under were killed or injured in road accidents in 2021.
Based on the average over the past five years, this equates to 37 children being harmed in road incidents every day. Figures for 2022 indicate that 48 children died on UK roads, equivalent to nearly one child per week.
One school facing safety concerns is Dropmore Infant School in Buckinghamshire, where parents have reported incidents such as passing traffic ripping off car doors during drop-offs.
Additionally, children are forced to walk on roads without pavements due to the lack of safe alternatives. The school is located in Littleworth, a village between Slough and junction 2 of the M40.
While the speed limit outside the school is 30mph, nearby roads have a speed limit of 60mph, contributing to unsafe conditions. A local Community Speedwatch group recorded cars passing the school at an average speed of 38mph, with the highest recorded speed reaching 54mph.
Headteacher Gitta Streete has been advocating for a reduction of the speed limit to 20mph for several years, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive approach to road safety.
Streete highlighted a recurring response received when requesting changes: the claim that no serious accidents have occurred on the road, implying that no action is necessary.
She stressed the importance of a phased reduction to 20mph outside the school, along with the provision of safe walking areas and designated crossing points. While no injuries have been reported at Dropmore Infant School thus far, Streete emphasized that road safety measures should not be the sole responsibility of the school.
Dropmore Infant School has achieved a platinum-level accreditation for road safety through the Modeshift STARS program. As part of its ongoing efforts to improve road safety in the vicinity of the school, it has joined Brake's Kids Walk, an annual event coordinated by the charity and sponsored by esure.
During Brake's Kids Walk, participating schoolchildren complete supervised walks around their schools or communities, carrying banners and posters provided by Brake. The aim is to raise awareness of the five key elements children need to stay safe near roads: slower traffic, cleaner traffic, better footpaths, improved cycle paths and safe crossing points.
Why do car manufacturers produce vehicles that can go beyond the 70mph limit?
