More 20mph zones for Market Harborough?

6.24.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 20th Sep 2008

The possible introduction of more 20mph zones in Market Harborough has been put on hold until at least 2009. But Phil Knowles (Chair of the town's Lib Dems) and Cllr Sarah Hill, who have been leading the campaign, say they are satisfied with the progress so far.

At a meeting of Leicestershire County Council Highway forum it was agreed to review the question in greater detail in 2009 and that the results of the scheme launched in March this year by Portsmouth would be a key source of information.

Portsmouth City Council became the first city authority in Britain to implement 20 mph speed limits on almost all residential streets,totaling over 1200. The statistics will make interesting reading, but the evidence already available leads us to believe that within the 20mph zones there could be a significant positive impact on the number of accidents and injuries.

The County Council's own report to the forum included information showing that within the 20 mph zones child pedestrian casualties is down by 74 per cent.

Phil and Sarah say: "We will be closely monitoring the situation, doing everything possible to progress it."