Drivers have been warned to expect huge changes to speed limits across one of the UK's largest cities, forcing thousands of motorists to slow down.
Edinburgh City Council revealed that from Monday, June 9, it will begin implementing a series of speed reduction measures, including cutting speeds from 40mph to 30mph in multiple locations across the city.
The new speed limit signs will be installed throughout June and July, with roads now facing lower limits and drivers facing penalties for breaking the new measures.
The move forms part of the council’s City Centre Transformation strategy, which hopes to reduce the number of kilometres travelled by cars by 30 per cent by 2030.
Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailingmotoring@gbnews.uk
The speed limits will be lowered from next month as part of a new road safety strategy
PA/GETTY
Once the new 30mph signs are put in place, the new speed limits will be enforceable, with Biggar Road set to be the first road to have the lower limits.
Under UK law, drivers can be fined £100 as well as slapped with three penalty points for breaking the speed limit, although this can go up to as much as £2,000 if caught speeding on motorways.
Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: "Road safety is a key priority for us and I’m glad that we’re moving ahead with this important process. While this has taken longer than we initially anticipated, I’m confident that these measures will make many of our roads across the city safer.
"The evidence is clear - lower speed limits make roads safer for everyone. A pedestrian or cyclist has twice the chance of surviving a collision at 30mph compared to 40mph. Any action that we can take to make sure all road users are safer is a positive step."
The council will begin putting up lower speed limit signs in the impacted areas
EDINBURGH CITY COUNCIL
The lower speeds were announced last year by the council and follow more than 60 streets in the city, which moved to 20mph.
Jenkinson said at the time that it was important to manage vehicle speeds to ensure communities can travel safely within the city.
"We'll continue to do everything within our power to make Edinburgh as safe, sustainable and accessible a city as we can," he added.
The lower speed limits follow data from 2023, which found that 65 per cent of all pedestrian casualties occurred on roads with a speed limit of 30mph compared to just 2,794 casualties on roads with a speed limit of 30mph or less.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Transport Scotland stated: "Traditional approaches for setting speed limits have prioritised vehicular traffic flow and efficiency.
"Speed limits have been set using mean speeds together with accident rates and are usually considered in reaction to speed-related collisions on the road network.
"Newer approaches are based on the safe system survivable speeds and reflect the mobility needs of vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, as well as their levels of safety, prioritising people."
Other measures announced in the City Centre Transformation strategy included removing vehicle traffic from key places around the city centre as well as improving safety for pedestrians.
Several roads in Edinburgh will be lowered to 30mph from 40mph
PA
The full list of streets changing from 40mph to 30mph includes:
- Biggar Road
- Calder Road
- Frogston Brae
- Glasgow Road (East section)
- Glasgow Road (West section and Old Liston Road)
- Gogar Station Road
- Hawes Brae and Bankhead Road
- Hillhouse Road
- Lang Loan (section at the junction with Lasswade Road)
- Lasswade Road
- Milton Road, Milton Road East and Milton Link
- Queensferry Road
- Riccarton Mains Road
- Sir Harry Lauder Road
- Seafield Road
- South Gyle Broadway
- Straiton Road
- West Approach Road
- Wester Hailes Road
Most Read
