Manchester's default speed limit could be cut to 20mph
- Published
Road safety campaigners have backed Manchester City Council's plans to cut speed limits
The speed limit in residential areas in Manchester could be cut to 20mph in an attempt to improve road safety.
Manchester City Council's new active travel strategy further aims to reduce 40mph speed limits to 30mph by 2028.
The local authority is also committed to closing roads outside at least one school in every neighbourhood at drop-off and pick-up times.
The five-year strategy will be presented to councillors at a scrutiny committee later this week.
Council leader Bev Craig said she wanted Manchester to be one of "the best places in the country to live and work" and was determined to make walking and cycling safer.
She added: "That means attractive, green, and connected neighbourhoods with safe streets which prioritise residents."
The council wants to make walking "the natural choice" for short journeys and double the proportion of trips by bike within five years.
It wants at least 70% of primary school pupils to walk or cycle to school by 2028 and 40% of secondary school pupils to do the same.
'Safer, healthier, fairer'
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said the recommendation to reduce speed limits was based on public health grounds, citing benefits such as less pollution, better fuel efficiency and fewer crashes.
Campaigners have praised the plans, saying they hope speed limits can be reduced as soon as possible, alongside a ban on pavement parking.
A Walk Ride spokesperson said: "In the event of a crash, the likelihood of death or serious injury is also greatly reduced" when speed limits are lowered.
"All the smart cities understand that reducing the impact of vehicles, starting by slowing them down, is necessary to create a safer, healthier, fairer place for everyone."
The LDRS reported that Walk Ride GM welcomed the focus on making it safer for children to get to and from school.
A draft version of the plan includes a commitment to delivering one "school street" in each of Manchester's 32 council wards.
At morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times, "pedestrian and cycles only" restrictions would be enforced in front of some schools.
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