Call for better promotion of 20mph speed limit

DRIVERS ignoring new 20mph limits in Perth city centre have triggered calls for better promotion of the improved safety features and a concerted campaign to encourage active travel.

The go-slow zone was introduced across 60 streets before extending to North Muirton.

Perth and Kinross Council has been criticised for not doing enough to promote the new set-up.

The local Liberal Democrat group has called for education for road users to ensure cyclists and pedestrians feel safe, while local campaigners say larger 20mph signs are needed.

Areas across the region are being transformed as part of a £1 million Sustrans-funded campaign to make people safer as lockdown eases.

Lib Dem councillor for Strathmore Lewis Simpson said: “There is lots of public support for this unrivalled opportunity to embrace walking and cycling as a safe and healthy means of travel.

“Almost all local politicians are failing their constituents by ignoring the introduction of these measures and choosing to neither welcome or promote them.”

The group leader, city centre councillor Peter Barrett, said: “We urgently need political leadership and impetus behind safer streets.”

Conservative councillor and environment convener Angus Forbes said his administration had done more to promote sustainable and active travel than previous council leaders.

He pointed to the Sustrans-funded campaign to rebuild Dunkeld Road for walkers and cyclists and said the administration had installed 113 speedactivated signs, set aside cash for 20mph trials and established a cross-party group to look at walking and cycling infrastructure.

“I even bought a bike so I could see the issues for myself,” he said.

A spokesman for the Perth Active Travel Hub called for the council “to act promptly and transparently to deliver proposed measures to improve local spaces”.