A new action group was launched in Merton on 17 October, to campaign to get a default 20mph speed limit applied across the borough.

Over 8 million people already live in towns where the default speed limit is 20mph – cutting the overall speed of traffic, reducing injuries and damage from accidents, and lowering pollution.

The Dundonald Lib Dem team is backing this campaign, and we have been collecting petition signatures on a number of roads – there’s huge public support. You can sign our borough-wide petition here.

There also appears to be significant political support for this cross-party campaign.

The Conservatives are very keen to talk up their previous administration’s introduction of a number of 20mph “zones” between 2006-10.

However, a piecemeal every-road-for-itself makes things very confusing for drivers, who find themselves in and out of 20mph zones as they drive along. And this approach was also pretty expensive, as 20mph zones legally require physical traffic calming measures – which also tend to be unpopular.

We hope that Conservative councillors will come around to a borough-wide “default” 20mph speed limit. This makes it easier for drivers – as then higher speed limits are the exception rather than the rule; and it means there’s no need for traffic calming measures.

20mph can make Merton a better place to live and save lives.