Twenty's Plenty Say Lib Dems

1.13.38pm GMT Fri 28th Mar 2008

Liberal Democrat-controlled Stockport Council have introduced many 20mph zones in its residential streets - Lib Dems believe Manchester should do likewise

John Leech, the Liberal Democrat MP for Manchester Withington, and Liberal Democrat Councillor for Burnage, John Cameron, are calling for 20mph zones to be extended to all Manchester residential streets that are not main roads, as new evidence shows that 20mph zones save lives.

Manchester City Council has announced a dramatic drop in the number of children killed and seriously injured on Manchester's roads since 2000. The drop has been largely put down to the introduction of 20mph zones near schools.

John Leech MP, who has tabled a parliamentary bill calling for 20mph to be made the default speed limit for residential streets, said:

"It is great news that the number of child casualties on our roads is falling, thanks to 20mph zones near schools. However, children live and play on all residential streets, not just those near schools. If 20mph works to reduce casualties near schools, it would work on all residential side streets."

John Leech MP has been working with local Lib Dem Councillors to collect petition signatures for streets in South Manchester to be made 20mph zones.

Councillor John Cameron said:

"We have been calling for the 20mph zones to be extended to other streets, such as Barcicroft Road, Overlea Drive, Westcroft Road and Brayside Road. However, the City Council has said that these roads are not near enough to schools to qualify."

"Liberal Democrat-controlled Stockport Council take a different attitude, and have introduced many 20mph zones in its residential streets. This has left us with the bizarre situation where the half of Barcicroft Road that is in Manchester is 30mph, while the half that is in Stockport is 20mph."

"It is time that Manchester City Council started to take road safety really seriously and backed our call for 20mph to be made the norm."

ENDS

Note to Editor:

John Leech MP has been awarded "Parliamentarian of the Year 2008 - National Campaigner" for his work on Road Safety by the Charity Brake who said:

"John Leech MP received the 'National Campaigner' award for his work to save child pedestrian lives by introducing a Ten Minute Rule Bill calling for a default speed limit of 20mph in urban areas. In addition to introducing this potentially life-saving Bill, which was lost due to timetabling, John has helped push the issue up the Parliamentary agenda by tabling numerous Parliamentary Questions on child road safety. The question of whether there should be a 20mph default urban speed limit has now become a public debate. John has also lobbied for improved support for victims of road crashes through Parliamentary Questions and has been committed to helping stop young driver deaths and injuries. As an active member of the Transport Select Committee, he was involved with its Novice Driver Inquiry and has been driving forward the Committee's recommendations for a more structured driving test by tabling an EDM calling on the Government to prioritise the issue. John has also pushed road safety issues such as the effectiveness of speed cameras, and the need for well-lit motorways, in debates, and has supported road safety campaigns through press work."