Almost 100 new 20mph zones could be rolled out

Almost 100 new 20mph zones could be introduced across a city in a bid to improve safety.

If Bristol City Council's plans are approved, the speed limit on 97 roads - including some main routes - will be reduced by March 2027.

Councillors voiced a mixed reaction to the proposals, with some calling for improved road safety, while others raised concerns about increased congestion, longer journeys and more emissions.

Clifton Down councillor Serena Ralston told the transport policy committee on Thursday: "We know that lower speeds save lives and reduce injuries."

Ralston added that her childhood best friend spent months in hospital with a brain injury after being knocked down by a speeding driver on a zebra crossing.

Councillor Nicholas Coombes said he was unsure what drivers, pedestrians and cyclists would think of the proposals, following "pushback" and "a political U-turn" on similar parts in Wales.

Conservative group leader councillor Mark Weston said the plans to include main roads like the A4018, which runs through Westbury-on-Trym to Cribbs Causeway, made "absolutely no sense".

He said: "At peak times, traffic is already at a standstill. Outside those periods, there is no justification for artificially slowing vehicles unless the intention is to push motorists off the road through pressure and disincentives."

He added that some drivers may divert on to "unsuitable" residential streets to avoid congestion.

Roads in Bishopston, Cabot, Cotham, Clifton, and Redland were lowered to 20mph limits in 2014 for safety reasons.

Councillors approved plans to seek public feedback on the lower limits, with a six-week consultation set to launch in April, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

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