MEP Ciaran Cuffe calls for 30km speed limit in all urban areas

Gary Ibbotson 20 May 2021
Dublin City Council Picture Conor McCabe Photography.

Green Party MEP Ciaran Cuffe says that a 30km speed limit in urban areas in urban areas is essential to reduce road fatalities.

Last year, 18,800 people were killed from car crashes on European Roads with a person being killed on roads every 24 seconds globablly.

This week, May 17-23, marks UN Road Safety Week and is part of the UN’s decade of action to reduce road fatalities by 50% over the next 10 years.

Speaking after the UN’s virtual #Love30 Global Rally to mark UN Road Safety Week, Green Party MEP for Dublin Ciarán Cuffe said: “Speed kills. In 2020, nearly 19000 people lost their lives on European roads.

“This is an unacceptable public health emergency.

“We need to do all we can to improve road safety.

“Ensuring a 30km/h speed limit in all urban areas is the right place to start.

“We see speed reductions already in cities like Brussels, Paris and Milan.

“It’s time for 30 km/h urban speed limits need to become the norm across Europe from Dublin to Berlin. It will save lives.”

Cuffe said that better road infrastructure is also required to reduce road fatalities.

“It is also not enough to just frame the 30km/h debate solely in terms of reducing the risk that vehicles pose to people.

“We have to design roads that are safer for all users, including pedestrians and cyclists.

“We also must ensure better connectivity for public transport routes that will undoubtedly help ease noise and air pollution on our roads.

“We need a 360 approach to improving the safety of our roads.”

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