'20's Plenty where people live, says Love Your Bike'.

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On Friday 25th November, during Road Safety Week [1], Love Your Bike are inviting people to join one of the Bike Friday cycle routes and call on Greater Manchester local authorities to introduce a 20mph speed limit policy to help make the roads safer for cycling and walking.

On 18th November it was reported that Liverpool Council and Primary Care Trust had agreed to jointly fund a scheme that will extend 20mph speed limits to 70% of the road network in Liverpool. [2]

Research published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2008 showed that at 30mph a pedestrian hit by a vehicle travelling at 50kmh (31mph) has an 85% chance of being killed. At 30 kmh (18mph) the likelihood of being killed decreased dramatically to 5%. [3] See graph below.

Traffic speed is one of the key barriers that prevent people from cycling and the Love Your Bike campaign believes that it is time for Greater Manchester to follow Liverpool’s lead and introduce 20mph speed limits in all residential areas.
Pete Abel from Love Your Bike said: “Cycling is a great way to travel to work, to the shops or for leisure. Join in one of the Bike Friday cycle routes and show your support for 20 mph speed limits where people live.”

Bike Friday provides a range of cycle rides into the City Centre from various locations across Manchester and also works with companies and local authorities in Greater Manchester to promote cycling, improve cycle facilities and to encourage more people to continue cycling to school, work and for leisure all year round. [4]
ENDS

CONTACTS FOR COMMENTS
Pete Abel, Love Your Bike campaign. Mobile: 07951 642858

Graeme Sherriff, Manchester Friends of the Earth, transport campaign co-ordinator. Mobile: 07948 405071

Notes to Editors:
[1]  Road Safety Week, 21-27th November. See http://www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk/ for more details.

[2] NHS part-funds city 20mph limits
Liverpool’s Primary Care Trust is to part-fund the implementation of 20mph speed limits across residential roads in the city.  The PCT will contribute £400,000 towards the £1.4m anticipated cost of the council programme to implement 20mph signed-only limits over the next four years. The Trust will also fund a £265,000 programme of perception surveys and community engagement work.

Currently, 31 per cent of residential roads in Liverpool are subject to 20mph speed limits. The plans would extend this by a further 39 per cent – 587km of roads. The city council wants to include as many roads as possible, with the exception of those with limits of 40mph or more; A and B roads; and major through routes that are not primarily residential in nature.

Local Transport Today, 18th November 2011.  www.transportxtra.com/magazines/local_transport_today/news/?ID=28745

[3] WHO report.  Why focus on speed? [Page 5]
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2008/9782940395040_chap1_eng.pdf

[4] The Bike Friday cycle rides start at 8am from Chorlton Library, Levenshulme Station, Prestwich Pizza Express, Stretford Mall and Withington Library and finish at approx 8.30am by The Titchy Coffee Co, High Street, Manchester City Centre, M4 1EY.  The Bike Friday cycle rides take place on the morning of the last Friday of every month (except December). The rides go a moderate pace, have experienced ride leaders, are entirely law-abiding and can help people develop more confidence in their cycling abilities. Bike Friday is part of the Love Your Bike Campaign.  New Bike Friday route. Worsley, Monton, Salford to Manchester City Centre. Start time 7.40am.   For details of the routes see: www.bikefriday.org or join the Bike Friday Facebook group www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=99198337652

[5] Bike Friday is coordinated by Love Your Bike (Manchester Friends of the Earth) and Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign (GMCC)

Love Your Bike is an award winning Manchester based campaign aiming to promote cycling and help make it an even more attractive, accessible and fun way to get around. Co-ordinated by Manchester Friends of the Earth, the campaign works in partnership with other like-minded organisations.  See www.loveyourbike.org