Glasgow to introduce a citywide 20mph speed limit

The City Council of Glasgow announced plans to implement a citywide speed limit of 20mph, following the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) announcement, which will come into force in June this year. Currently, about 288 km of streets are subject to a 20mph limit - revised legislation and guidance on 20mph speed limits opens up the potential to introduce widespread 20mph restrictions 'without costly physical traffic calming measures'.

The 20mph citywide restrictions scheme will be rolled out over the next 18 months. During spring an assessment of which streets can be subject to a 20mph speed limit will take place. The legal, technical, and logistical work required to implement the changes will then start in autumn 2023. The implementation will be carried out in stages on a zonal basis and is expected to be fully complete by June 2024. The last step will be to evaluate the effectiveness of the citywide 20mph speed limit for its expectations to improve road safety and to encourage active travel. The introduction of the scheme will go along with a communications campaign to maximise awareness of the new speed limit and support corresponding drivers’ behaviour.

The City Convener for Climate and Transport, Councillor Angus Millar, stated: “[It is] quite simply, slower is safer. A citywide speed limit of 20mph is about improving road safety by helping to reduce the risk of accidents and the severity of injuries sustained. Reducing the impact of traffic on communities will help us secure safer streets and contribute to the wider shift we need towards more sustainable forms of transport, which is vital if we are to achieve our target of Glasgow becoming carbon neutral by 2030.”

The scheme is part of a £ 4.5m programme, part-funded by Sustrans. Sustrans Grant Manager, Emily Gait, added “The implementation of a citywide 20mph mandatory speed limit in Glasgow is a big step forward on an issue that will save lives. This is especially beneficial for the most vulnerable people in society, including children and people with disabilities. The expansion of slower speeds from the city centre into quieter, less congested neighbourhoods will enable more people, regardless of age or ability, to walk, wheel and cycle”.