20mph - a year on
Well, it's been a bumpy ride. It was always going to be, this is a massive change, but the statistics are showing the policy is succeeding in saving lives. In the first six months there's been a 32% drop in casualties, which is staggering. We expected to save between eight to 10 lives in the first year; in fact the lower speed limit saved six lives in the first six months. So it's at the upper end of projections. Casualties are down by a third - saving heartache for families, easing pressure on the NHS, and improving streets for people. So I think overall, it's been a huge success, but clearly it's been difficult and it's been unpopular, but it was always going to be. It would have been better if the consultation that we've now seen had come in advance, that would have made life a lot easier. There was flexibility for councils to exempt some roads, and that hasn't been used in the way it could have been done. But let's not make the perfect the enemy