Isle of Man speed limit: Tynwald backs 20mph residential roads plan

Under the proposals, 20mph would be the default speed limit in residential areas

A speed limit of 20mph in residential areas could be rolled out on the Isle of Man after Tynwald backed a move to introduce the change.

Following a debate on Thursday, a new amendment calling for the change, with caveats, was unanimously supported.

Infrastructure Minister Tim Baker said it was a "considered and collaborative approach" to setting limits.

Ann Corlett MHK, who proposed the change, said it would give drivers more information about potential hazards.

The move would give the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) the power to set higher limits on some residential roads, including distributor roads.

Mrs Corlett said lower speed limits gave road users "information about the type of road they are travelling on and the likely hazards on it".

The issue was originally debated in July when Bill Shimmins MHK called for blanket 20mph and 30mph limits on urban roads and narrow rural lanes respectively.

The original vote stalled over a bid by Mr Baker to instead allow the continued rollout of the government's road safety action plan.

Backing the change to his own amendment, he said the new proposal combined the "principles of safety" with those of "liveability" and provided "a really good building block" to move forward from while still allowing "some discretion".

The DOI will report back to Tynwald with recommendations on implementing the changes in March 2021.