Edinburgh councillors approved cut in speed limit from 40mph to 30mph on 21 roads

Queensferry Road is one of the routes where the 40mph speed limit will be cut to 30mph

A SWATHE of busy Capital streets are to have their speed limits cut from 40mph to 30mph despite protests that some of them had no history of accidents.

The city council’s transport and environment committee has approved a list of 21 roads, including Queensferry Road, Lanark Road and the West Approach Road, where the maximum permitted speed will be reduced.

Conservatives called for the list to be revised to include only those streets where accident and traffic data showed there was a problem.

Tory transport spokesman Nick Cook said: “We want a more focused, evidence-based approach which responds to the streets most in need of enforcement.

“There are streets on here that, when the speed limit is reduced, will benefit from a physical police presence, but that may be difficult to provide because the police will be under pressure to police roads which have no established history of traffic problems.”

But transport convener Lesley Macinnes said the move would help create a safer and more attractive environment.

She said: “It’s a quality of life issue for the city. We accept things are changing in this city and a reduction in speed limits is important.”

And Green councillor Gavin Corbett argued slowing traffic could make a real difference.

He said: “If you look at Lanark Road, the data says there have been no cycling fatalities in the period, but I’m never on that road without thinking of the death of an experienced cyclist killed by a lorry in 2012, which feels very recent, and the impact that had on his family.”

He said there were also residents who struggled to cross the road because of traffic speeds.

“The question is: who has priority here? Is it the residents for whom this is a residential street or people passing through, who might save a minute or two on their journey to work?”

Traffic orders to bring in the new speed limits are expected to take up to 18 months.