Highlands 20mph speed limits opponent calls for public to have their say
A prominent vocal opponent of reduced 20mph limits in Highland communities has urged people to make their voices heard when consultation over making them permanent is launched next week.
Highland Council has introduced the ‘temporary’ reduced limit in 125 Highland communities since it began a pilot in July 2023.
And it signalled its intent last week to make the reduced limits permanent after moving to extend the duration of the traffic orders that enable the temporary 20mph speeds.
They had been due to expire in January but will now extend for a further six months while the council seeks public views on its plans to make the measures permanent.
The public consulation is to be launched this Monday (January 6).
Advocates point to statistics showing that pedestrians struck by vehicles travelling at 20mph are more likely to survive than those that are hit at 30mph - and stress that that limits will save lives.
However, critics have hit out at the cost of introducing the limits, and argued that they extend journey times in rural communities.
One of the leading Highland opponents is Ruraidh Stewart, a councillor for the Skye & Raasay ward and leader of the Tory Group on Highland Council.
He has launched a scathing critique of the administration’s handling of the 20mph scheme.
The local councillor claims that rural wards like his will be ‘disproportionately affected’.
"For rural areas across Highland, where journey times are already long, this ill-conceived policy adds unnecessary delays and hardships," he stated.
"This scheme exemplifies the administration’s inability to grasp the realities of rural life and their neglect of genuine community needs."
Councillor Stewart also pointed to Highland Council’s data which showed that average speeds have dropped by 1.7mph in areas where the pilot was introduced - with averages before the 20mph limits ranging from between 22mph and 27mph, and those following its introduction ranging from 21mph to just shy of 25mph.
He said: "This is an abysmal return on almost half a million pounds of taxpayers' money.”
He pointed to the first consultation on the scheme which he said revealed “only 17 per cent of residents support the scheme, with an even smaller 15 per cent recognising any tangible benefits”.
The councillor concluded: "The figures speak for themselves - this is a monumental failure that cannot be justified."
He also accused the council of revisiting the consultation process because the initial public feedback was not what “they wanted”.
"When they didn’t get the answer they wanted, they simply decided to consult again,” he said. “It’s the classic 'if at first you don’t succeed, consult, consult again' approach," he said.
"This isn’t about genuine engagement; it reeks of the Academy Street debacle, consulting for the sake of it rather than taking public opinion seriously."
Councillor Stewart is committed to opposing the scheme: "I have repeatedly called on the administration to scrap this ill-judged scheme and will not stop until they listen to reason."
He urged Highland residents to participate in this consultation.
"This is a further opportunity to demand accountability from an administration that has ignored public opinion for far too long. Make your voice heard and insist on change."
But Badenoch and Strathspey Highland councillor Bill Lobban (Independent) is fully behind the move.
He recently told the Strathy: “"I am sure we can all spare a few seconds out of our busy lives to potentially save a child's life.
“Because that's all the extra time it takes when driving through our towns and villages at 20mph instead of 30mph.
“The survival rates in pedestrian versus motor vehicle collisions are dramatically increased as speeds are reduced.
“But what we do need to see is a commitment from Police Scotland and the Scottish Government that the 20mph limits will be religiously enforced.”
