Portsmouth roll out 20mph urban limit

Portsmouth became the first city in the UK to implement a 20mph speed limit over a wider area today, becoming the first local authority to dictate local speed limits.

MCN was first to report the new guidelines in August 2006, which gives local authorities the option to lower urban speed limits to 20mph and the power to choose rural roads to cut the limit.

The Department for Transport document says that ‘lower limits would be appropriate on ‘Lower tier’ single carriageway roads passing through a local community, or having a local access or recreational function.

They would also be appropriate where there are significant environmental considerations or where there is a high density of bends, junctions or accesses, or the road is hilly.’ This means that roads traditionally enjoyed by riders will face tightening speed regulations.

Local authorities must then seek consent from the Secretary of State to reduce limits, but in the case of urban speed limits they are permitted to reduce the limit to 20mph without consent from the Secretary of State.

One hundred and eighty-seven miles of inner city Portsmouth roads will now be subject to the 20mph restriction, the first implementation of the guidelines in the country.