Bristol set for major 20mph expansion as council targets crash hotspots under new plans

Councillors on the Transport and Connectivity Committee looked at the proposals on March 19, after being presented with evidence suggesting lower speeds could significantly cut injuries and deaths.

The plans follow a detailed, street-by-street review of every 30mph road in Bristol, where officials assessed collision history, school routes, walking and cycling use, and the business of each road.

If approved, the scheme will go out to a six-week public consultation, allowing residents and local groups to have their say before any final decision is made.

The roads identified cover around 59 miles, about five per cent of Bristol's network, but account for nearly a third of all serious and fatal crashes.

Council data suggested the difference in stopping distances is stark. A car travelling at 20mph can stop in roughly 12 metres under heavy braking. At 30mph, a vehicle would still be moving at around 27mph after the same distance.

Research also showed that younger children struggle to judge speeds above 25mph, increasing the risks when crossing roads.

Schemes like this in other areas have reduced casualties by between 11 per cent and 39 per cent.

Committee chair Ed Plowden said urgent action is needed to tackle road deaths. "Deaths on Bristol's roads are unacceptable and avoidable," he said.

He added: "We want to live in a city where children feel safe to travel to school independently, where the air we breathe has not been polluted by unnecessary acceleration and harsh braking, and where all road users, whether on two wheels or more, can share our highways safely.

"We have a duty to explore options for improving road safety and to take an evidence-based approach to decisions which impact our roads."

Bristol already has widespread 20mph limits, with around 86 per cent of roads covered. Earlier phases of the scheme, rolled out between 2010 and 2014, were later studied by the University of the West of England.

The 2018 research found the original programme prevented around 175 collisions a year and delivered major savings for the NHS. It also suggested the scheme helped save between four and five lives annually and prevented 11 serious injuries each year.

Walking and cycling also rose by around 20 per cent after the limits were introduced. Council officials believed expanding the scheme could go further. They estimate that up to 50 injuries a week could be prevented if the new limits are fully introduced.

The project is expected to cost £500,000, funded through Bristol's Clean Air Zone budget as part of wider efforts to cut pollution and improve public health.

After the consultation period, the council's executive director for growth and regeneration will decide which roads move forward to the next legal stage, known as a Traffic Regulation Order.

The latest figures underline the scale of the issue. In 2024, the number of people killed or seriously injured on Bristol's roads rose by 22 per cent compared with the previous year. The overall cost to society from these collisions is estimated at £90million.

Supporters argued the changes could save lives and make streets safer, particularly for children and cyclists.

However, as with previous 20mph schemes, the plans are likely to spark debate among drivers and residents over whether slower limits are necessary across so many roads.