Mike calls for more 20mph zones outside schools

To coincide with the start of national Road Safety Week, Swansea’s Labour AM Mike Hedges has today repeated his support for the roll out of 20mph zones outside local schools to help improve the safety and wellbeing of children.

The calls from the Swansea East AM follow on from today’s announcement from Transport Minister Edwina Hart that the Welsh Government will be holding a public consultation on introducing new statutory guidance for risk assessing walked routes to school.

The consultation, which opened earlier today as part of Road Safety Week, aims to seek the views of children, parents, teachers and road users on improving the safety of both school walking routes and Welsh roads.

Earlier this year, Mike Hedges, who is a Chair of governors at both Glyncollen and Ynystawe Primary schools, supported a Senedd debate with other AMs to discuss and highlight the importance on rolling out more 20mph zones outside schools and on roads in built-up areas.

Although the decision to change speed limits is a local council prerogative, the Welsh Government has given local authorities £11.5m this year to introduce more 20mph zones.

Speaking on the news of a public consultation, local AM Mike Hedges said:

“We have a duty to our young people to ensure that the routes they use to get to and from school are safe and free from harm. That’s why I believe the introduction of more 20mph zones around school routes would go a long way towards creating an environment where children can travel safely. 

“With this new consultation starting today as part of Road Safety Week, I would urge all children, parents, teachers, pedestrians and road users to get involved by having their say on this important issue.”

Transport Minister Edwina Hart said:

“Road Safety Week is an important opportunity to promote safer road use. The Welsh Government is committed to making our roads safer for drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists. We recently published our road safety framework which sets-out how we will try to reduce the number of road traffic collisions, particularly those which result in serious and fatal injuries.

There is also a lot of good work going on at a local level across Wales to improve safety for drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists and make them more aware of potential dangers. We will continue to support and work with our partners across Wales to deliver such schemes.”