The momentum is building for a widespread roll-out of 20mph speed zones in Courier Country after the issue was raised at Holyrood.
Mark Ruskell, Scottish Green MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, raised the matter with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as he highlighted disparity between neighbouring local authorities.
The issue of 20mph speed zones has been thrust into the spotlight in Perth and Kinross after the tragic death of toddler Harlow Edwards, knocked down in Coupar Angus on October 13.
Mr Ruskell wants more permanent 20mph zones to be set up to complement the variable ones around schools.
He said: “Scottish Ministers think guidance at the moment is adequate but the coverage is a real lottery — the majority of Fife’s residential areas are 20mph, while Dundee has just two streets.”
He continued: “I’m disappointed Perth and Kinross Council have decided not to introduce a more comprehensive 20mph scheme for residential areas. One problem with only designating 20mph zones around school gates is that most children don’t live next door to their school and have to walk through constantly varying speed limits.
“We need to extend the undoubted benefits of 20mph speed limits across all residential areas making communities safer to walk, scoot, push and ride especially for the most vulnerable road users such as children and the elderly.”
Michael Gallagher, a Coupar Angus resident, has written to Bernadette Malone, chief executive of Perth and Kinross Council, to ask the local authority to install the road safety measures across the area.
He said: “A review of Fife Council’s installation of 20mph speed zones showed that there was a decrease in child casualties of 27.9% and an overall decrease in fatal and serious injuries of 18.3%.”
A spokesperson for Fife Council said “the majority” of their residential streets are 20mph.
“There are currently 499 discrete 20mph zones across Fife which were introduced between 2003 and 2014.
“Since 2003, Fife has been introducing mandatory 20mph zones within established residential areas (subject to available funding) and this initiative is now substantially complete, with appropriate areas treated at a cumulative cost of approximately £8.7 million.”
A spokesperson for Dundee City Council confirmed they have just two areas with designated 20mph speed zones – the Western Gateway development and Harestane Road.
A city wide consultation on the possible introduction of 20mph speed limit zones in residential areas has been held.
“Responses to that are being collated and analysed and a detailed report will be brought to the council’s development committee by the end of the year,” he said.
Angus Council stated they have 118 streets that are subject to a mandatory 20mph speed limit. In addition, they have 51 areas with a ‘Twenty’s Plenty’ advisory 20mph speed limit and 31 schools have a part-time 20mph speed limit.
A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council said they have recently agreed a strategy on the use of 20mph speed limits.
“This recommends consideration, individually and collectively, of a number of factors – accident data, existing vehicle speeds, composition of road users, function of the route, road environment, local community views and the presence of any other pertinent factors – when determining whether the introduction of a 20mph speed limit would produce the appropriate level of benefits,” she said.
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said the Scottish Government want to see 20mph limits implemented “where they are appropriate” in Scotland.
“We issued national guidance last year through the good practice guide on 20mph speed restrictions, which encourages local authorities to introduce lower limits near schools, in residential areas and in other areas of our towns and cities with a significant volume of pedestrian or cyclist activity.”
