20mph speed limit roll out
20mph Programme
Moray Council is promoting new 20 mph limits across its communities as part of a national roll out of 20 mph speed limits in built up areas across Scotland.
The ‘Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party Shared Policy Programme’ published on 1 September 2021 includes the commitment that all appropriate roads in built up areas will have a safer speed limit of 20mph by 2025.
This National Strategy for 20mph speed limits aims to expand 20mph speed limits across Scotland and ensure all appropriate roads in built-up areas have a safer speed limit of 20mph by 2025.
The strategy seeks to introduce consistency for 20mph speed limits across the country, simplifying speed limits for drivers.
It seeks to reduce perceptions of road danger, encourage people to walk and wheel, and create more pleasant streets and neighbourhoods by providing a more equitable balance between different road users and will contribute to the implementation of the safe system.
The map below shows both the current speed limit and the proposed 20mph or other limits.
Use the slider to compare between the current speed limits and proposed 20 mph speed limits.
Left side of the slider shows the current speed limit. Right side of the slider shows the proposed speed limit.
There is a layer button 
which indicates the key to each speed limit.
Current speed limits do not include most private roads or car parks.
The map only refers to the local road network and not the A96 or the A95 from Highland to Keith as these are Trunk Roads managed by Transport Scotland. Details of the proposals for these routes will be available in due course.
Background
Road assessment
To shape the direction of the strategy and get agreement on the most appropriate route to have 20mph speed limits nationally, an assessment of the existing road network across Scotland was needed.
In early July 2022, Transport Scotland wrote to all local authorities asking that a 'Road Assessment' is undertaken by March 2023. This is to inform the development of the National Strategy for 20mph and to ensure that a consistent method of assessment was used across Scotland. Guidance on how to undertake the 'Road Assessment' was provided by Transport Scotland.
The assessment was used to find out the number of roads affected and the financial costs for implementation of the National Strategy for 20mph.
The outcome of these road assessments was used to inform policy, guidance, Ministerial updates as well as ensure that a consistent approach in their implementation is taken across Scotland.
For clarity and in the context of the national strategy for 20mph speed limits, an appropriate road is considered to be all 30mph roads. The exception is where after the road assessment a valid reason is given why it should remain at a 30mph speed limit.
Local Context
In Moray we have previously, in the main, reserved 20mph speed limits to roads around schools and a few small self contained settlements which have historic centres or where there were specific accident issues. The process has evolved this way as the early premise was that drivers are more likely to adhere to the reduced speed limit where the restrictions are more concentrated, and children are likely to be more visible. However over time, experience has meant a shift to a wider roll out as they result in greater compliance due to less confusion over speed limits.
We know that vehicles perceived to be speeding, create an increased risk and greater severity of injury to pedestrians and other vulnerable road users. This is why we are often asked by resident and community groups to introduce more wide-spread speed restrictions in built-up areas. Lowering speed limits can reduce this perception of risk, as well as help to encourage safer driving behaviours.