More 20 mph speed limits are to be introduced to residential areas of Britain.

Although Britain already has the safest roads in the world – holding joint first place with Sweden – more 20mph speed limits are to be introduced in residential areas around the country after pilot schemes reveal a marked decrease in incidents.

In a change to current speed calming conditions, these slower zones – covering groups of residential roads where traffic is high – will also be introduced without the use of additional traffic calming measures of speed humps and chicanes.

Trials in Portsmouth and London, where 20 mph speed limits act alone to slow down traffic, have reported a marked reduction in the number of deaths and serious injury on the roads. In Portsmouth, early indications show a 15% decrease in the number of casualties – the city’s council has implemented the limit on 94% of its road network.

Paul Clark, Road Safety Minister, said: “We have seen that 20 mph zones with traffic calming measures can make a real difference to the safety of local roads. But we’ve also looked at the latest research and listened to councils and residents who want to introduce 20mph limits on a series of roads where physical traffic calming measures aren’t possible or practical.

“Allowing councils to put in place 20 mph speed limits on more streets without speed humps or chicanes will mean that they can introduce them at a lower cost and with less inconvenience to local residents.”

Although the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads has fallen by 40% since the mid-1990s, there are still too many deaths on the roads. Road safety charity Brake is campaigning for more extreme action to be taken, mainly in light of stopping distances and the collision speed at which someone is hit – a car travelling at 36mph would still be travelling at speeds of 22 mph after 75 feet, the stopping distance for a car at 30mph.

Cathy Keeler, Deputy Chief Executive of Brake, said: “In Brake’s view, the issue is clear-cut. Evidence shows that where 20mph limits have been introduced in urban areas, casualty rates have fallen, meaning many lives have been saved.

“While the Government’s proposals are a positive step to encourage more 20mph limits, mere encouragement is not enough to ensure that life-saving action is taken. We urge the Government to cut the urban default speed limit from 30 to 20mph, and ensure that local authorities have the resources available to introduce traffic-calming measures where they are desperately needed.”