Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced his plans to end “hare-brained” road safety schemes, including 20mph zones, to halt what he calls the “war on motorists”. The Prime Minister explains that he wants to ensure such measures are no longer “forced” on drivers. Plans would also include a review of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) in England to check they are not introduced without local support. The government is looking to put the brakes on anti-car measures under a “new long-term plan”. Further, they want to prevent the introduction of the “15-minute city”, where essential amenities are always within a 15-minute walk.
Rishi Sunak highlights that he will ensure all schemes are not imposed on local communities; blanket 20mph speed limits and LTNs alike. He concedes that 20mph zones near schools “make sense” but should not be done in a “blanket way” elsewhere. LTNs reduce traffic on residential streets and improve access for pedestrians and cyclists with dedicated lanes, wider footpaths, and vehicle access blockers. The implementation of 20mph zones and LTNs is the responsibility of local authorities. The government wants to amend guidance for LTNs and review similar guidance for 20mph speed limits in England.
The shadow transport secretary states that the plans are “pure hypocrisy” and adds that they were committed to LTNs previously. The move has provoked an angry response from some stakeholders, with the chief executives of Bikeability Trust, British Cycling, Cycling UK, Living Streets, Ramblers, and Sustrans commenting that the government is entrenching congestion and reliance on driving to travel short local journeys. They believe that the government’s plan will make roads worse for people who need to drive on occasions. The Welsh government recently made headlines by reducing the default speed limit from 30mph to 20mph for restricted roads, a change the Chancellor said was “not right”.
Mr Sunak claimed that the clampdown on drivers was an attack on people who rely on cars to get to work or see their families. He added that their necessary decision aims to back the motorists who “keep our country moving.” This announcement follows the UK Prime Minister’s revision of the net-zero carbon emissions policy that pushes out the restriction on new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035
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