Scotland’s National 20mph Strategy funding: FOI release

Information requested

I’m looking to gather information with regards the accident statistics on Scottish roads. In particular I’m looking to find out the reduction of accidents injuries and fatalities in areas that have introduced 20mph speed limits to see what improvements have been made.

I’d also like to enquire what money has been spent on introduction and implementation of 20mph speed limits in Scotland.

Response

Transport Scotland holds records of injury collisions and casualties on the road network which were reported to Police Scotland. This includes the location of the collision and the speed limit of the road where the collisions occurred. Transport Scotland does not currently hold a record on a national basis of which roads have altered their speed limit to 20mph or the date any change was made. We are therefore unable to provide the analysis that you asked for in the first part of your request on a national basis.

Transport Scotland does however, hold this information regarding 20mph schemes on the Trunk Road network. The attached document provides the number of personal injury accidents and fatal casualties each year for roads and locations where 20mph limits were introduced from 2017 onwards. Annual figures are provided from four years prior to the introduction of each scheme until the present year.

With regards to spending on the introduction and implementation of 20mph speed limits, the total measured spend to date on the introduction and implementation of 20mph speed limits on trunk roads in relation to Scotland’s National 20mph Strategy is £618,497.

The spend reported includes the collection and analysis of speed data as well as the investigation, design and construction of the necessary measures to bring the 20mph speed limit into force and additional measures identified through monitoring to encourage driver compliance with the reduced speed limit. These costs are those recorded in the 2022-2023, 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 financial years, which reflect the period of implementation of the National Strategy for 20mph on the Scottish Trunk Road Network. Spend in relation to the implementation of 20mph speed limits as part of Spaces for People in 2020 and 2021 were mostly incurred by the relevant local authorities progressing these projects.

In addition to the above, the points below summarise the centrally administered funding provided in relation to Scotland’s National 20mph Strategy. Individual local authorities may be able to provide information regarding any additional spending that they may have undertaken in relation to the National 20mph Strategy.

• Road Assessment - £1.4 million in financial year 2023-24

Funding for local authorities to identify the number of roads on their own network which would be suitable for a speed limit of 20 mph through a road assessment, using agreed predefined place criteria.

• Early Adopter Funding for Highland Council - £327,000 in financial year 2023-24 

Highland council agreed to act as an early adopter for the assessment and implementation of widerscale 20mph speed limits before the current target of 2025. They are implementing 20mph speed limits in 125 settlements. These roads are being monitored using speed surveys. To support Highland council as an early adopter of the strategy, they have been provided with preparatory funding to escalate their implementation and assessment of 20mph speed limits. 

• Support for wider 20mph roll out - £4m in financial year 2024-25

£4m is being invested in 2024/25 to support the roll out of 20mph speed limits across local roads. This ensures appropriate funding is available to deliver a range of 20mph schemes on local roads. The delivery of these schemes is expected to enhance safety on active travel journeys in specific locations that present a road safety risk to pedestrians and cyclists.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202400438171 - information released - Annex A

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