I saw in the news recently the government have said they will "take the side of the motorist" against council's that are introducing blanket 20mph speed limits in built up areas.
Our regional council did this some time ago, from what I can see largely against the will of the majority.
During the covid times they introduced an 18month trial of the Safer Streets Scheme at a cost of 1.2m iirc, and declared it a success after Napier University found there to have been a small percentage decrease in the average speed vehicles were travelling at.
That struck me as strange because they apparently had no accident statistics to show a reduction of incidents but judged the trial a success solely on low compliance. Gave me the feeling it was a done deal whatever the results of the trial! They did change some areas back to 30mph after the trial but mostly 20mph was retained.
My experience of it initially was a few vehicles complied, held the majority back, and some vigilantes tried to enforce it by gesticulating and shouting from the pavement. Now we've lived with it for a while little has changed, the occasional vehicle does 20mph but most drive at the previous 30mph limit. Despite the council keep asking the Police to enforce it they really seem reluctant and I've heard of no Police action being taken against anybody, but the vigilantes have got Hi Vis coats and Amazon speed guns now.
Personally I don't feel it does make the roads safer. Granted a collision at 20mph is likely to be less injurious than 30mph but, the instances of poor driving I've witnessed due to people being angry, frustrated or distracted by travelling at the slower speed have increased so surely that suggests the slower speed could be more dangerous? When I'm in a line of traffic behind someone at 17mph when I've driven that route at 30mph for nearly as many years I do find that my mind wanders.
Is Twenty Plenty, or just leave it be?