RAC comment on Prime Minister's 20mph plans

Following reports the Prime Minister will unveil new policies aimed at drivers next week, RAC head of policy Simon Williams said:

“While we support the use of 20mph limits being used where they are needed most, such as outside schools, on residential streets and in urban areas where there are lots of pedestrians, implementing them in widespread fashion may unnecessarily lengthen journey times by slowing down traffic, and possibly even increase congestion. We need councils to strike the right balance between making our roads safer and ensuring the smooth flow of traffic, in all its forms. We need to see the detail of the PM’s plan to see whether what’s proposed will really help with that.

“We badly need to create an integrated transport network that works for everyone, including motorists. Bus lanes are key to that as they help to ensure services run on time in rush-hour when traffic is high, but outside of that can sometimes make traffic worse by limiting the amount of available road space which is something we can well do without. It’s important to realise that eight in 10 drivers tell us they would struggle to get by without access to a car.”