20's Plenty for Shropshire

Shropshire-wide conference on the benefits of 20mph total system default speed limit on all residential roads in Shropshire.

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Saturday 30th September 2017, Between 13:00 – 17:00

You may already be aware that 20mph general system-wide, default speed limits are well established in the United Kingdom as a highly effective public health intervention, and an important contribution to increasing the amount of walking, cycling and creating attractive, people-friendly streets.

Approximately 15 million people in England and Wales now live in areas where the majority of roads and streets have a 20mph speed limit.

There is widespread public support (>70%) for 20mph mainly on road safety grounds.
It is very hard to kill a pedestrian or cyclist at 20mph (9 out of 10 hit by a vehicle survive) but fatalities are more likely at 30mph (only 5 out of 10 survive being hit).

There is robust scientific evidence that 20mph is a highly effective pubic health intervention, and increases the number of people walking and cycling which in turn reduces car use, congestion, greenhouse gas emissions and improves air quality.

Many of us have argued for five years or more for a Shropshire-wide 20mph limit, but Shropshire Council refuses to adopt this policy and the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia, John Campion has told us he does not support the idea.

The conference will explore the degree to which the 20mph policy commitment can assist with the delivery of Shropshire Council’s priorities which include tackling obesity, reducing congestion and air pollution.

20mph limits have considerable potential to deliver 'policy CS7' in the Shropshire Council Local Development Framework Adopted Core Strategy:

CS7: “It is important to recognise that the quality of opportunities for walking and cycling will encourage physical activity, and this would help to improve the health and quality of life of individuals within local communities”.

We are organising a high profile conference in Shrewsbury in September 2017.

This will bring together community groups, 20mph campaign groups, public health specialists and experts on the evidence that 20mph works well.

20mph is not expensive to implement, and does not impose extra burdens on policing through additional enforcement tasks.

The idea is to raise public awareness and engage with the media and present Shropshire Council with a strong, irrefutable case for the idea.

We are a community group with no funds.
It has been estimated that paying for the venue and the travel expenses of the six speakers will cost approximately £1000.

We would very much like to raise this amount through the crowdfunding route.

If at all possible, can you please go to this crowdfunding site and make a donation.

http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/benefits-of-a-shropshire-wide-conference-for-20mph

For further information on the conference please contact the organisers:

Organisers are as below.

Professor John Whitelegg

Andrew e. Williams B.Sc. Psych.

[email protected]

[email protected]