March of the 20mph camera enforced speed limits on busiest roads across Britain

Motorists face £100 fines as 20mph limits are imposed on some of Britain’s busiest roads.

Until now, the lower 20mph speed limit has been restricted to smaller roads in residential areas or near schools. However this is about to change with 20mph limits to be introduced on major arterial roads (policed by the latest digital speed cameras).

London Mayor Boris Johnson has revealed that eight pilot schemes will be run on ‘Red Routes’ – the main arterial roads that carry a third of the capital’s traffic. 

Other towns and cities including Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh say they also intend to introduce the new limits.

The minimum fine fore motorists caught breaking the 20mph limit will be £100 fine and three points on their driving licence.

The AA says the new limits are being driven more by ‘dogma’ than road safety. A spokesman said: ‘These 20mph zones are popping up like spring daffodils.

‘There is a lot of fear among drivers that, with 20mph being a relatively unfamiliar speed, widespread speed camera use will make them look more at their speedometers than at what is happening on populated streets in front of them.’

If the trials in London ( due to last 18-months)  are judged a success, the 20mph limits will be made permanent and imposed on 30 miles of key ‘Red Routes’ considered by transport bosses to be ‘more local road than motorway’. Some 175 miles of residential streets.

Under the new London scheme, the first road to convert to 20mph next month will be Commercial Street in Shoreditch, linking into plans for Tower Hamlets and Hackney to become 20mph boroughs.

Rod King, founder of the ‘20’s Plenty for Us’ campaign group, said: ‘The current 30mph national limit is being rejected as “unfit for purpose” for communities so we’re setting out a series of government actions required for a planned transition to a UK default urban limit of 20mph by 2020.’

A Department for Transport spokesman said: ‘Research shows 20mph zones can save lives and this government has made it easier for councils to introduce them.

‘It is for local authorities to set speed limits and for the police to decide how best to enforce them.’

The spokesman added: ‘We are undertaking a three-year research project to better understand the effect of 20mph zones and their impact on local communities.’

Bristol mayor who fronted 20mph scheme is caught speeding

George Ferguson, the mayor of Bristol who spearheaded a £2.3m project to implement 20mph zones across his city has been caught speeding doing 35mph in a 30mph zone

Ferguson, who usually drives an electric-powered car or rides a bicycle, was behind the wheel of a Bristol city council fleet car at the time. He was clocked speeding on the A4 Portway road by Avon and Somerset police.

In a statement issued through the council, Ferguson described the offence as an inexcusable mistake and said he would be paying the £100 penalty charge.

“I am shocked to have just discovered I exceeded the speed limit on the Portway last month ... on one of the rare occasions when I have had to use a council fleet car.

“It serves as a sharp warning to me and goes to show that I am no exception to the rule. I am only too aware of the dangers of exceeding speed limits and commend the Avon and Somerset police for their vigilance.

“I have blemished an otherwise clean licence and shall be paying the penalty charge willingly from my own pocket.”

Ferguson became Bristol’s first directly elected major in 2012 and is an advocate of a 20mph pilot scheme run by the council.

The council voted in July 2012 to bring in the 20mph speed limit throughout Bristol in a six-phase scheme costing £2.3m. All roads except dual carriageways, 40mph and 50mph roads are considered for the 20mph speed limit, which applies to all motorised vehicles on the road.

Speaking at the time of the rollout, Ferguson said: “The new speed limit is part of a number of measures that we are introducing that will help to promote road safety, improve traffic flow, support sustainable transport and active travel and help to make Bristol a more positive place to live and work.

“We realise that the change in speed limit will take a little getting used to but I know from my own experience how little impact the reduction in speed will have on journey times.”

Man Builds First Private Toll Road in Britain in at Least 100 years

Mike Watts with his Toll Booth Picture: SWNS

 Mike Watts was forced to drive around a section of the A431 between Bath and Bristol because a landslide had closed the road in February (a 10 mile detour). Council works were due to carry on until the end of the year on the stretch. Not wanting to wait that long, Mike who is a 62 year old businessman employed his own team of road workers and built a 365m-long bypass in the field next to the closed-off section.

Mr Watts spent £150,000 of his own money, to recoup this money he has set up a toll booth. Motorists are charged £2 to use the detour road (£1 for motorbikes). Regular users also have the option to bulk-buy 12 passes for £10. Most are happy to pay the toll to avoid the £10 mile alternative

Toll Road Picture: SWNS

Mike Said : ‘Building a toll road is not an easy everyday thing that people do, and in fact this is the first private toll road in Britain in at least 100 years. But I have had a 100 per cent positive response from the public on this. I think people are very grateful that we have taken the risk to keep pushing with this."