Necessary, but not quite sufficient? Public opinion and reported behaviour following the reduction of speed limits in Scottish rural settlements

Introduction

20 mph speed limits were implemented in place of 30mph limits across most settlements in the Scottish Borders Council area (UK) between October 2020 and January 2021. Previous quantitative studies show that speeds driven reduce and less people are injured, and of those who are most have less severe injuries than if struck by a vehicle in a 30mph speed limit. Speed reduction, therefore, is an important public health intervention.

Methods

This paper reports the findings of 25 structured interviews with adult residents of the Scottish Borders who had experience of living there before, during and after the change, contributing qualitative evidence as to what people feel and say regarding this intervention.

Results

The results revealed a generally positive opinion of the 20mph limits. Many respondents noted a reduction in driving speed, although not necessarily to the posted speed limit. There were perceptions of small safety improvements, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists, although some remained concerned about speeding drivers.

Conclusions

The 20 mph speed limits have fostered a greater sense of equity amongst different road users and have largely been accepted as the ‘new norm’. Yet, 20mph probably remains insufficient on its own in addressing the externalities of motorised traffic among those outside of vehicles and the persistent fears generated by motor traffic.