Moray Council Promotes Part Time 20mph Speed Limits Outside of Schools to Save Lives

DRIVERS URGED TO SLOW SPEEDS NEAR SCHOOLS 

The Moray Council is calling on all drivers to be more responsible when driving near to schools and help to make our roads safer for children by reducing their speeds in part time 20mph speed limit areas outside schools.  Studies in Scotland as a whole show that over half of motorists exceed the speed limits, which is why the Moray Council is encouraging a more responsible attitude by drivers.

Roads outside schools can be notoriously dangerous places for children travelling to and from the classroom.  It is important that drivers stick to this new speed limit and slow their speed as research has shown that 20mph speed limits are an effective means of reducing the number of crashes and the severity of casualties on our roads.

The Moray Council would like to take this opportunity of reinforcing two key messages:

·        Speed and speeding are among the most contentious issues in road safety today – choosing the wrong speed at the wrong time can kill.

·        Killing speed is about a change in attitude – drivers need to realise that they share responsibility for the safety of children on the roads.

The Moray Council is making this appeal as part of the 20mph speed limit campaign that aims to educate drivers about appropriate speeds while safeguarding children’s lives.

The part time 20mph speed limits outside of schools will be in operation Monday to Friday, three times a day during the school term. The amber lights will flash to indicate when the 20mph speed limit is in operation.  The approximate times will be half an hour prior to the start of the school day, over the lunch time period and half an hour after the school closes. This will cover those times when school children are travelling to and from school. At all other times when the amber lights are not flashing the 30mph speed limit will be in operation.

This first phase of part time 20mph speed limits has included 27 schools spread right across Moray.  The coming weeks will see the new part time 20mph speed limit signs located outside of these various schools being switched on.

Contact: Joyce Pirie, Public Relations Co-ordinator on 01343 563046