Active Travel England (ATE) has called on councils to consider 20mph speed limits as part of its new rural design guidance.
The advice was announced yesterday by Local Transport Minister, Lilian Greenwood, and aims to help local authorities provide ‘safe, accessible and attractive’ routes in rural areas for walking, wheeling, and cycling.
As part of the Rural Design Guide, ATE has urged that traffic speed is set at around 20mph on country lanes where people walking, wheeling and cycling are sharing space with motor traffic.
It suggests implementing both physical and non-physical interventions – such as reducing carriageway width for vehicles and eliminating centrelines, respectively – to help meet this target.
In a statement yesterday, ATE explains that rural communities have a reduced number of transport options, with services often being further away. It highlights that walking, wheeling and cycling routes must therefore be ‘safe, direct, and well connected’.
National Active Travel Commissioner, Chris Boardman, said: ‘With the publication of this Rural Design Guide, we're supporting authorities to develop infrastructure that works best for local people.
‘Our aim is to help councils build safe and appealing routes that not only enable more everyday active journeys but also help them make the most of our wonderful countryside.’
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