North Shropshire MP slates Rishi Sunak's 'pro-motorist' road law stance
North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan has criticised the Government's intention to make it harder for councils to introduce 20mph speed limits.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ordered a review of low-traffic neighbourhoods by the Department of Transport last week and said that he was "on the side of motorists". The Guardian newspaper has reported that ministers are considering restrictions on councils' ability to impose 20mph speed limits.
MP Helen Morgan has said that in many parts of rural North Shropshire, road safety is a top issue, with regular reports of crashes and fatalities on roads like the A41 and A483 as well as calls for improvement on town streets like Cabin Lane in Oswestry.
She said introducing 20mph limits in the correct places can improve safety, reduce congestion, reduce vehicle pollution and noise, and improve the environment for walking and cycling.
Research by the UK Transport Research Laboratory has shown that that you are seven times more likely to survive if you are hit by a car driving at 20mph, than if you are hit at 30mph.
North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan said: “When I’m out and about knocking on doors across North Shropshire, speeding through our towns and villages is a massive concern which is raised with me constantly.
“In fact, one of the main concerns raised by residents is that projects by Shropshire Council to improve road safety – like school streets – have been delivered so painfully slowly.
“If the Prime Minister really thinks he knows what’s better for our rural communities than the residents who actually live here, he is completely out of touch.”
