20mph speed limits in Angus

The Scottish Government have made a commitment that all appropriate roads in built-up areas will have a safer speed limit of 20mph by 2025 in their National Strategy for 20mph.

Reducing vehicle speeds will:

• improve real and perceived road safety
• encourage people to walk, wheel and cycle
• create more pleasant streets and neighbourhoods by providing a more equitable balance between different road users
• contribute to the implementation of the safe system

The strategy also seeks to introduce consistency and simplify speed limits for drivers.

As part of Angus Council’s review of its Speed Limit Strategy, we are considering the roll out of the National Strategy for 20mph to all towns and villages in Angus.

Place criteria

The Place Criteria that were used in our assessment of speed limits are set out below:-

Identifying any of the following place criteria will help to indicate the 30mph roads which are considered appropriate for potential alteration to 20mph. The roads which remain at 30mph will typically be on A and B Class roads with little frontage activity and where people walking, wheeling and cycling do not need to share space with motor traffic.

A minimum road length for the speed limit is suggested between 400-600m. The length adopted will depend on the conditions at or beyond the end points.

1. Is the road within 100m walk of any educational setting (e.g. primary, secondary, further & higher education) Road Assessment – National Strategy for 20 mph – Version 4 (June 2022)
2. Does the number of residential and/or retail premises fronting the road (on one or both sides) exceed 20 over a continuous road length of between 400 - 600m. Other key buildings should also be considered such as a church, shop or school.
3. Is the road within 100m walk of any community centre, church, place of worship, sports facility, any hospital, GP or health centre.
4. Does the composition of road users imply a lower speed of 20 mph which will improve the conditions and facilities for vulnerable road users and other mode shift. (reflect on future plans such as active and sustainable travel, places for people, consider existing and potential levels of vulnerable road users)
5. Will the road environment, surrounding environment, community and quality of life impact (e.g. severance, noise, or air quality) be improved by implementing 20mph speed limits.

Drawings

There are links to drawings elsewhere on this page. The drawings show the proposed speed limits on each road within the burgh, based on our appraisal against the Place Criteria. Where possible, the drawings also show existing speed limits.

A key in the bottom right hand corner of the drawings shows the colours for proposed 20mph limits, existing 40mph limits to remain and proposed 40mph limits.

Some of the larger files may take longer to download.

Proposal

If agreed and subject to availability of funding, Angus Council propose to roll out 20mph speed limits in Angus over a number of years. We will undertake monitoring and evaluation of new speed limits with a view to introducing speed management measures as deemed appropriate.

Have your say

Are you in favour of Angus Council adopting the National Strategy for 20mph on all appropriate roads in Angus? Please take a few minutes to tell us your thoughts by completing our short survey.

Paper copies of the survey will be available in libraries.

Next steps

Once the consultation period has completed, analysis of the consultation data will take place and then considered at the relevant council committee meeting.