Pictured: Depute Leader Paul Garner (centre), Cllr Jim Flynn (front right) joined by council officers from Place services.
A new 20mph speed limit pilot will be in place in Airth for eighteen months from 29 April.
The small village will be the first community in the Falkirk Council area to benefit from a 20mph speed limit which aims to create safer and healthier places.
The proposal to run an 18-month pilot scheme in the village, followed a consultation with residents and was approved by Councillors in March 2024. During the pilot, Council officers will collect and analyse information on before and after vehicle speeds and monitor the impact and suitability of 20mph limits.
A consultation was carried out in February 2024 with Airth residents which showed strong support for a 20mph speed limit with:
- 70.9% strongly or partially supported a 20mph speed limit in built-up residential areas
- 90% strongly or tended to agree that speed limits should be implemented where safety is an issue.
Lowering speed limits can promote safer streets, encourage more sustainable forms of travel like walking, wheeling and cycling and create streets which are shared more equally between different road users. Research showed that in 2022, 69% of all pedestrian casualties, 54% of all pedal cyclist casualties, 33% of all motorcyclist casualties and 30% of all car casualties occurred on roads with a speed limit of 30mph in Scotland
Based on the pilot, officers will then consider implementation at 16 other settlements including Avonbridge, Shieldhill and Dunmore.
Further public consultation would be undertaken to gather feedback and gauge public opinion on the 20mph speed limit at each settlement prior to implementation.
Councillor Paul Garner, Depute Leader, Falkirk Council said: “The introduction of the 20mph pilot in Airth marks a significant step towards safer and healthier communities.
"The community showed strong support for the initiative which aims to promote safer streets, encourage sustainable forms of transport and foster a more equitable sharing of our roads.
“Officers will gather data on the impact and suitability of these new limits during the 18 month pilot to look at implementation in other settlements across the area.”
New signage has been installed at entrance and exit points in Airth to alert drivers of the 20mph speed limit.