Oxfordshire spends £3m on 20mph zones in three years

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 23 Oct, 13:02 · Archive

Oxfordshire has spent more than £3 million on new 20mph zones in the past three years, making it the second-highest county in England.

Oxfordshire has spent more than £3 million on new 20mph zones over the past three years, making it the second-highest county in England for investment in lower speed limits, according to figures obtained by Confused.com through Freedom of Information requests. Hertfordshire leads with £4.6 million spent, followed by Oxfordshire and Cornwall at £2.6 million. Councils nationally have spent more than £41.9 million introducing 20mph limits over the same period.

The 20mph programme is part of Oxfordshire County Council's wider road safety strategy and was launched in 2022 as a three-year scheme. As of January 2023, there were just 19 20mph zones in Oxfordshire, though this has increased significantly since then. Applications from around 285 towns and villages have been approved so far, with areas selected based on community requests.

Tim Bearder, leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: "We have made a conscious decision as a county to take speed seriously because lower speeds save lives, reduce the severity of injuries, and make our communities safer and healthier places to live." He added that the council's ambition is for Oxfordshire to become known as the county that takes road safety seriously, and that the growth in community support for 20mph schemes shows residents understand the benefits.

How it is being reported

• Oxfordshire ranks second in England for 20mph spendingOxfordshire has spent more than £3 million on new 20mph zones in the past three years.Oxfordshire Guardian · 23 Oct, 12:30
• Oxfordshire ranks second in England for 20mph spendingOxfordshire has spent more than £3 million on new 20mph zones in the past three years.Oxford Mail · 23 Oct, 12:30

In this story: Oxfordshire County Council · Hertfordshire · Cornwall · Tim Bearder · Oxfordshire

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