More than 6100 people have taken part in a public consultation that was launched to gather feedback from residents on North Ayrshire Council’s recent implementation of the National 20mph speed limit Strategy.
The online survey, titled North Ayrshire Council 20mph Public Consultation, ran from 1 July 1 to 26 August to allow residents across all six localities to have their say.
The Scottish Government has committed to working with local authorities to reduce the speed limit in the region’s towns, cities and villages to 20mph where appropriate.
The driving force behind the change is to improve safety – with evidence showing when a vehicle collides with a pedestrian at 30mph, they are seven times more likely to die than at 20mph.
Through Scotland’s National 20mph Strategy, the government’s vision is “Slower today for a safer tomorrow”.
The Council sought feedback from residents, businesses and road users following the temporary introduction of 20mph speed limits across residential streets and selected urban areas.
This was done by promoting the consultation in local media, on social media, via the North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership website and the Council website – and residents were also invited to apply for a paper version of the survey.
The aim of the survey was to understand public views and experiences of the measures, including their impact on road safety, active travel and local communities.
Councillor Eleanor Collier, Cabinet Member for Green Environment and Economy, said:
“By now, most people using North Ayrshire’s roads will have noticed the signs introducing the lower speed limit. These are part of a national Scottish Government scheme to help make our roads safer for everyone.
“The fact that more than 6000 people took the time to complete the consultation shows how important road safety is to those who live and work in our communities. I would like to thank everyone who got involved – your input is very important to us as a local authority as we work towards improved road safety.”
(Picture: North Ayrshire Council)
