20mph speed limit consultation 2026
An Easy Read version of this survey is available here.
The Easy Read version uses simple words, pictures and big text.
It is helpful for people with learning disabilities, younger people, and people who find reading English difficult.
Background
Just over 10 years ago, the speed limit on most of Bristol's roads was reduced to 20mph.
Residents told us that 20mph made:
- the roads feel calmer
- walking to school, work, or the shops feel safer
- cycling feel less intimidating
The changes have prevented hundreds of crashes and saved lives.
Why 20mph
Evidence continues to show that 20mph prevents around 1 in 5 crashes, helps protect people walking, cycling, and driving, and creates calmer, safer streets.
Young children cannot reliably judge faster traffic. This makes crossing the road more dangerous for them.
- At 20mph, a car can stop in about 12 metres (around three car lengths)
- At 30mph, the car would still be travelling at around 27mph after 12 metres
This can be the difference between a scary near miss and a serious injury.
Other reasons for 20mph
In busy cities like Bristol, journey times are mostly affected by traffic lights, junctions, and the the amount of vehicles using the roads. Speed limits have only a small effect. The average driving speed in the city is less than 14mph.
The latest evidence also shows that 20mph speed limits reduce fuel costs and improve air quality in urban areas. You can read more evidence about 20mph speed limits on our website.
Enforcement
Speed limits are enforced by police, not Bristol City Council. We do not receive any income for fines issued for speeding. Fines go directly to national government.
Closed for feedback
Ended: 17 May 2026
What happens next
We'll carefully consider all responses, before developing a final set of proposals. The final proposals together with feedback from this consultation will be considered by the council's Transport and Connectivity Policy Committee which will decide how to proceed in summer or early autumn 2026.
Further information
Benefits of 20mph
We want to make our roads safer using evidence of what works, so we've looked at research and good practice from similar cities in the UK and elsewhere to help us shape our 20mph plans.
Sources and research that supports our 20mph plans are all available on the Bristol's better at 20 website.
Average speed data used in this consultation
The speed data provided in this consultation is the “harmonic mean” along the length of each section of road rather than the mean speed at a single point. The harmonic mean is the most appropriate average speed for assessing potential impacts of speed limit changes on journey times, as it accounts for vehicles speeding up and slowing down during that journey, as opposed to a snapshot of a single second.
The data is from TomTom Move, which is based on connected vehicle data, and analysis has confirmed it is accurate. TomTom Move provide more information on their website about how the harmonic mean is calculated: https://developer.tomtom.com/move-portal/guides/traffic-stats/how-it-works/definitions
Wherever possible we use plain English to ensure public consultations are accessible, which is why this is referred to in the consultation documents as the “average speed along this section of road” as opposed to “the harmonic mean".
Key dates
- Start date: 2 April 2026
- End date: 17 May 2026