YEP says: We back move to have more 20mph zones in Leeds to cut road deaths and casualties

Speeding in residential areas is more than just a menace.

The Yorkshire Evening Post wholeheartedly supports Leeds West MP Rachel Reeves’ call for action in extending the number of 20mph zones to curb speed in built-up areas.

There were 2,200 road casualties in the city in 2017. That’s not to say all were attributable to speed, or speed alone, but in that year 15 people died and over 300 were seriously injured.

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Such stark statistics led the Labour MP to carry out a survey in her own constituency and 95 per cent of more than 500 respondents said they often saw speeding in residential areas.

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Leeds MP Rachel Reeves calls for 20mph zones to be 'dramatically extended' in th...

She said: “A tiny minority of reckless drivers are an absolute menace, particularly those who break the speed limits around schools. We need tougher enforcement action to deal with them.”

There will never be enough officers to enforce all the road regulations we have as it is and, yes, a 20mph zone might not stop that “reckless” minority who may choose to ignore the 20mph signs as they ignore the 30 and 40mph signs. But for the majority of normally law-abiding drivers do slow down in 20mph zones - particularly those with illuminated signs and smiley faces. And the difference between a collision at 20mph and one at 30mph could be the difference between life and death.