SPEED LIMIT CUT BY ‘BACK DOOR’

A NEW 20mph speed limit is set to be rolled out nationwide, under radical plans for a major crackdown on speeding.

The SNP’s roads quango Transport Scotland will ‘encourage’ councils to change 30mph roads to 20mph in cities, towns and villages across the country.

A review of all motorways, dual carriageways and trunk roads is also expected to see the national 70mph limit lowered.

The proposals are part of Transport Scotland’s plan, published last week, to reduce accidents and fatalities by putting a particular emphasis on speed. It also wants more police enforcement and a blitz of automatic number plate recognition, mobile and average speed cameras to stop people breaching limits.

Ministers had previously rejected a nationwide approach, saying it was up to councils to decide where 20mph zones should be.

But now the quango says it will ‘encourage local authorities to consider implementing 20mph limits’.

The Scottish Government has a ‘Vision Zero’ target, which would see no deaths or serious injuries on the roads by 2050, while also reducing emissions from vehicles.

Neil Greig, of IAM Roadsmart, said: ‘I do feel they’re now trying to introduce a national 20mph limit by the back door.’

Graham Simpson, Scottish Tory transport spokesman, said ‘the only tactic when it comes to improving road safety is to wage a war on the motorist’.

He said the SNP-Green Government needed to invest in better roads ‘which would improve safety at the same time’.

Transport Scotland said: ‘We are clear that 20mph speed limits are a good idea when implemented in the right environment.’