Speed cut: Bid to put 20mph limit on all Falkirk’s town and village centres

The council Executive, which meets on Tuesday, will be asked to approve proposals that would introduce the 20 mph zones in targeted locations across the Falkirk council area.

If accepted, the aim is to start with all town centres and most village centres later this year.

Falkirk Council will then consult with communities to discuss rolling the scheme out to other streets, including residential areas, in 2023.

A report to the councillors says that the proposal will help not only help road safety but will also make reduce air pollution and people feel safer when walking and cycling by making streets “people, rather than vehicle, focused”.

An increase in people choosing to walk or cycle rather than take the car will help meet the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan targets.

Their aim is to reduce car kilometres travelled by 20 per cent by 2030 and this is just one of the ways it hopes to encourage a shift in behaviour.

The proposal is part of the council’s broader plans to create a series of “20-minute neighbourhoods” – where people can live, work, and learn in communities close to home, meeting their daily needs within a 20-minute walk.

If local members agree, the council will hold a series of engagement sessions online for the first phase, looking at the areas where 20 mph limits are being considered.

Features such as traffic calming planters, may be introduced along with 20 mph speed limits.

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