A legal expert has told GB News that 20mph speed limits should be embraced as they make roads safer, despite annoyance from drivers around the slower speeds.
Slower speed limits have become far more common across the UK in recent years as councils and local authorities attempt to improve road safety.
Wales has been the biggest proponent of 20mph speed limits, having mandated them as the default speed limit on restricted and residential roads in 2023.
Although the move was met with sharp backlash from drivers, the decision to cut speeds was seen as a victory, with the number of people seriously injured or killed on roads falling.
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An expert has slammed the idea that 20mph speed limits are causing delays on roads
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In recent months, there have been calls for 20mph speed limits to only be introduced on certain roads, including those near schools, hospitals and in other areas where there may be more vulnerable people.
Drivers have also suggested that people should escape punishments if they only exceed the speed limit by a couple of miles per hour.
Normally, speeding fines are handed out if the driver exceeds the limit by 10 per cent plus 2mph, which would mean the limit is 24mph.
This proposal has been shot down by experts, saying that drivers should abide by speed limits, whether it is 20mph on a residential road or 70mph on the right-hand lane of the motorway.
New 20mph speed limits are being introduced around the country PASpeaking to GB News, John Kushnick, Legal Operations Director at National Accident Helpline, noted that a quarter of car trips in the UK are under a mile.
He added: "It's also misleading to claim 20mph is difficult to stick to or significantly delays journeys.
"The time difference between driving at 30mph versus 20mph is around one minute. That's a small ask for the safety of others.
Towns and cities across the UK continue to implement new road limit changes to reduce average speeds and protect road users.
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The Infrastructure Minister for the Isle of Man recently announced that a consultation on proposed 20mph speed limits had become the most responded-to proposal the Government has ever done.
Michelle Haywood, who represents Rushen in the Tynwald, said the outcome of the consultation would determine where the speed limits will be enforced.
Similarly, Hampshire County Council is allowing towns and villages to apply for lower speed limits, with Romsey, King's Somborne and Preston Candover all registering interest.
Kusnick continued, saying: "We say we want healthier communities and for children to play outside more, and 20mph zones make that possible.
The decision to mandate 20mph speed limits in Wales was met with strong backlash from residents
GETTY"Limits like these help create streets where people, not just cars, feel they belong.
"Rather than relaxing these rules, we should be reinforcing them. A minor adjustment for drivers is a worthwhile trade-off for a safer, healthier society."
Labour is expected to release the first Road Safety Strategy this year, which would be the first update from the Government in more than a decade.
It has yet to be confirmed whether this will include any guidance on the future of 20mph as a nationwide policy or whether the decision will remain with local authorities.
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