Highland Council confirms plans to make reduced 20mph speed limits permanent in 125 northern Scottish communities - including Inverness
New 20mph speed limits in communities across the Highlands look set to be made permanent.
Highland Council began introducing the lower limits across the north back in July 2023, after securing temporary permission for the reductions as part of a safety pilot.
Since then they have been rolled out to more than 125 different communities.
A reduced 20mph limit is known to dramatically reduce the likelihood that a collision with a pedestrian will be fatal, and advocates say they are proven to save lives, although some have called them a “waste of money” which has not cut car speeds by as much as hoped.
The reduced limits had originally been timed to expire at the end of this coming January. But the life-saving measures look set to be made permanent after Highland Council began the process to do so.
It has placed adverts confirming plans to initially extend the duration of the temporary reductions until July.
In them, the council explains: "The order came into force on Monday, July 31, 2023 and was due to expire on Friday, January 31. 2025.
"The council sought and has received a direction from the Scottish Ministers... that the order shall continue in force for a further period of six month until July 31, 2025."
This extension is to enable public consultation to take place, with the intent of making the lower 20mph limits permanent once that is complete.
Confirming the plan in a statement, Highland Council said: “From January 6 a public consultation will run as part of the process to make the Traffic Regulation Order for temporary 20mphs permanent.
“The council’s scheme went live in July 2023 with temporary 20mph speed restrictions in locations spread across the Highlands. In the meantime, the current temporary order has been extended to July to allow time for the consultation.
“A report will be presented to a meeting of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee in May for a decision by councillors on making the Traffic Regulation Order.”
• READ MORE: YOUR REACTIONS: 20mph zones in the Highlands – improving road safety or a waste of money?
