8mph speed limits for residential roads

From an article by Rob Wheway, management consultant in the Fair Play for Children campaign, in the Guardian (Dec. 8th '92), entitled 'Why boys and girls stay in to play'.

I believe that we must have a new designation for residential roads. Speed limits of about 8mph (twice fast walking pace) might be appropriate. On these home-roads or safe-streets, pedestrians must have priority. Residents should be able to petition for the redesignation, and, with appropriate safeguards, approval should be granted unless the local authority can show it to be a necessary distributory road.

Local authorities should have a duty to ensure that the vast majority of pupils at a school are able to walk or cycle to school along safe routes. And children need to be able to play in safety near their own homes.

'Such a speed limit would be the single most cost-effective action to improve the lives of our children and communities'

Such a speed limit would be the single most cost-effective action to improve the lives of our children and communities.

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