Eight out of 10 people support 20mph zones, a new survey has found.

Huddersfield-based road safety charity Brake and Allianz Insurance quizzed 1,000 people and found overwhelming support for a reduced speed limit.

Some 78% backed 20mph zones around schools, on residential streets and in town and city centres.

The results of the survey come as Brake takes its GO 20 campaign to Parliament calling for a change in the law.

A number of 20mph zones are already in operation in Kirklees including Almondbury, Honley and Meltham.

Calderdale Council has also held a series of public meetings about 20mph zones.

Brake representatives were in London on Wednesday April 2 to lobby MPs.

Brake says an estimated 12.5 million people in the UK now live in 20mph zones and the country has reached a “tipping point.”

Camden in London saw crashes cut by 54% after the introduction of 20mph zones while in Portsmouth there was a 22% drop in casualties.

Other high profile local authorities looking at 20mph zones include the City of London, Birmingham, Newcastle and Edinburgh.

As well as calling on the Government to reduce the urban limit to 20mph, Brake continues to encourage and support local authorities to GO 20.

Drivers are also urged to protect people on foot and bike now by slowing down to 20mph around homes, schools and shops even where the limit is still 30mph.

Speed reductions also cut congestion, pollution and noise.

Brake’s deputy chief executive Julie Townsend said: “The GO 20 campaign is about defending everyone’s right to walk and cycle freely without being endangered, whether it’s to get to work, school, the shops, or just getting out and being active.

“We need to tackle the senseless and violent casualties that continue to happen daily on our roads, and we need to enable people to live healthy, active, social lives.

“It’s clear that 20mph limits in communities can help bring this about and it’s clear this is what people want.

“With many people already reaping the benefits of living in 20mph areas, we’re reaching a point where it makes no sense to retain 30mph as the default limit in built-up areas.

“It’s time for the Government to GO 20 nationally.”

The survey also found that 72% say roads in their town or village need to be made safer for walking and cycling; 81% say traffic travels too fast on local roads; and 79% think it would encourage more people to walk or cycle if roads were made safer.

Brake will attend a parliamentary reception where speakers include road safety minister Robert Goodwill MP and bereaved dad Dave Britt, of Mansfield, talking about how a 20mph speed limit could have saved the life of his 16-year-old son Aaron.

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