Emma McClarkin condemns ‘silly’ EU blanket speed limits

East Midlands Conservative MEP Emma McClarkin has condemned moves by Brussels to create a blanket speed limit below 20mph across all residential areas.

The local MEP said the proposal was another example of Europe trying to dictate to Britain on issues that should be decided locally.
The plan for a blanket 30 kilometre per hour limit, debated in the European Parliament Strasbourg on Monday, would also recommend the dead-slow restrictions for most town and city roads – unless they have a separate cycle lane.

The scheme is contained in a package of measures which the parliament’s transport committee has proclaimed will halve road casualties by 2020. Other proposals include standardised road signs across the continent and the replacement of the British Highway Code with one covering the whole of Europe.
Emma said:

“Of course speed limits as low as 20mph or so can be right in some specific areas, especially near schools or nurseries, but every location is different and these decisions need to be made case by case, not as a Europe-wide edict.”