20mph in Aberdeenshire towns and villages
The council is introducing 20mph speed limits across communities as part of a national roll out.
The 20mph limits come into force on the 22nd September 2025.
The Scottish Government has a national commitment to see all appropriate roads in built-up areas having a safer speed limit of 20mph by the end of 2025. The government has provided funding and guidance to councils to increase number of roads with this limit.
Most housing developments built from 2000 onwards already have 20mph limits or speed reducing measures such as road humps. The 20mph programme extends these limits into village and town centres and other roads where there is a good case for lowering the speed limit.
The reason for this is to make our roads safer and, as a result, encourage more people to walk, wheel and cycle. It also alters the balance between motor vehicles and other road users.
Key reasons
We want to make Aberdeenshire’s towns and villages a better and safer place to live, work, visit and play. Below we set out some of the key reasons for extending the 20mph limits.
Slower speeds are safer for all, traffic speed is often too fast in our residential and local shopping streets. This can be a barrier to walking and cycling and increase the risk and severity of accidents.
Reducing traffic speed helps people feel more confident about using their local streets. It is safer for children to walk to school, while older people feel more able to travel independently and safely. Calmer road speeds lead to better health, less noise, more social interaction and stronger communities.
Roads and streets where the limits apply
Not all roads will move to 20mph, even in towns, as certain strategic through roads and link roads will remain at 30mph or their current speed limit. A set of criteria has been drawn up to make the 20mph limits as effective as possible by applying them only where there is a need and they are most likely to be observed.
Roads identified as appropriate for a speed limit of 20mph should be 'self-explaining' and 'self-enforcing' to the road user. However, speeds will be monitored and evaluated and where a level of compliance is not being met wider speed management measures may be considered.
View the streets being made 20mph.
More information
We put together a list of topics for those who would like to find out more about the introduction of the 20pmh speed limits.
Why we are introducing the limits
One of the biggest issues communities raise with us is speeding or inappropriate speed in our towns and villages.
We adopted a revised Speed Limits Policy (PDF 349KB) in 2020 which included a commitment, in urban areas, to move towards 20mph speed limits being the norm while maintaining a network of strategic routes with 30mph speed restrictions.
The roll out of the 20s programme across Scotland has enabled us to take a shire-wide approach to introducing 20mph limits across a wider range of communities.
By extending 20mph limits into town and village centres we want 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. The 20mph programme will also contribute to the implementation of the Safe System of road safety which is to reduce road deaths to zero by 2050.
The Safe System recognises that people are fragile and make mistakes that can lead to collisions, but it should not lead to death or serious injury. Lowering the speed limit to 20mph is an example of the safe system in action. They reduce the risk of collisions and if a collision happens, when a driver is driving at 20mph, it reduces the severity of the collision.
By lowering speeds, reducing the perception of road danger more people can choose to travel actively. Active travel offers improved health outcomes for individuals, improving physical and mental health through increased activity and improved air quality.
Do 20mph speed limits work
National evidence has shown that sign-only 20mph speed limits can help to reduce average speeds and improve safety. Evidence from the pilot scheme in Edinburgh City showed similar results, with average speeds reduced to just over 20mph, and with larger falls in speeds on the roads that had higher average speeds before the limit was introduced.
Impact on road safety
There is an established relationship between speed and the risk of being involved in a collision. At higher speeds the time to react to changes in the environment is shorter, and manoeuvrability is smaller, which increases the risk of a collision. Research says that lower speeds result in fewer collisions and a reduced severity of injuries, and that casualties are reduced when speeds are lowered.
Evidence shows that a pedestrian hit by a motor vehicle at 30mph is seven times more likely to die than if they are hit at 20mph. In 2022, serious road casualties mostly occurred on 3 mph and 60mph roads. Just over half of road traffic deaths and serious injuries in cities and towns were pedestrians or cyclists.
How roads and streets were selected
Roads and streets were assessed according to the assessment criteria produced by Transport Scotland with input from local authorities, and against the council's own Speed Limits Policy (PDF 349KB).
Only roads which were 30mph were looked at as being suitable for being made 20mph. On the whole, strategic routes remain at 30mph or above except where the factors at a particular location justify a change to 20mph.
A minimum road length for the speed limit is suggested between 400m and 600m. The length adopted depends on the conditions at or beyond the end points.
Why we are not applying end to end 20mph limits in towns and villages
We decided against applying the 20mph limit at every entrance to a town or village. We have not taken this approach as in our larger towns and villages some of the roads into settlements are wide and open and do not lend themselves naturally to being 20mph. A speed limit has to make sense to a driver to maximise compliance and avoid diminishing respect for speed limits overall.
By limiting 20mph to roads which have some of the following factors suggest to a driver that there will be a greater level of vulnerable road user expected:
- Greater levels of frontage such as buildings, houses or shops and the presence of education and key community facilities nearby
- Formal walking and cycling routes
- Key buildings or areas such as a place of worship, sporting facility, play park, hospital or health centre
Trials in Wales and how it is different in Scotland
Wales and Scotland have taken a different approach, in Wales effectively all 30mph areas were changed to 20mph. This included sections of dual carriageway and rural roads. These types of roads have been excluded from our roll out of the 20s and this is being revised in Wales.
In contrast to claims that the introduction of the limits have failed in Wales, evidence shows that it has reduced average speeds and led to a significant reduction in road casualties.
Monitoring
We have set up a monitoring programme at the start of the 20mph roll out to monitor road traffic speeds, road casualties, and public perceptions. We will compare speed surveys from before the introduction of the 20mph and after to measure the immediate impact.
We will continue to monitor the 20mph network to determine speed and casualty trends over a longer period of time and consider adjustments if necessary.
Impact on air pollution
So far studies have not conclusively proven either a positive or negative effect on the environment. Driving at 20mph causes some emissions to rise slightly and some to fall. Reduced acceleration and braking can help to reduce fuel consumption and associated emissions and reduce brake and tyre particulates. NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) recommends 20mph without speed humps for better air quality, lower noise levels, vibration and road wear.
Vehicle emissions, noise and outdoor air quality varies depending on a number of criteria, including speed and consistency of driving speed, traffic volume, type of vehicles and location of the road. There is a lot that we can do as individuals such as making less car journeys and increasing our walking, wheeling and cycling. Getting more people to travel actively, because it is safer for them to do so, will make a key difference.
Cars account for almost 40% of transport emissions. By introducing the 20mph limits, we aim to help people feel safer while walking or cycling, and thereby encourage an increase in active travel. This in turn will support a reduction in the number of vehicles on our roads and the reliance of cars which will also help cut transport emissions.
Impact on journey times
An evaluation by the Department for Transport shows that journey times are estimated to have increased by 3% in residential areas and 5% in city centre areas. This is based on the observed change in median speed (from GPS journey speed data). This adds less than half a minute to a two-mile trip and less than a minute to a five-mile trip.
It is anticipated that any adverse impacts would be minimal. Most appropriate roads for 20mph exclude strategic routes, and the roads affected are typically the start or the end of most journeys (not affecting the main part of the trip).
Research indicates that slower speeds encourage a smoother driving style with less stopping and starting which helps traffic to flow. Evidence from other 20mph areas shows that, over the longer term, slower speeds encourage more people to walk and cycle, easing congestion on the road.
Impact on congestion: will it make driving harder
This will be a change and it will take some conscious decision making as a driver to make a difference. It will take some time to become second nature. In reality we are rarely driving at a consistent speed, particularly in a city where we are constantly accelerating, decelerating and braking to respond to current traffic speeds, traffic lights or junctions, and other road users.
Impact on bus trip times
Not significantly for cross-town journeys. Many bus companies found no difference in their timetables.
Enforcement
Police Scotland is supportive of improved road safety across the area and is working with the council to achieve this.
Police Scotland recognises that speed management is an important element of this and will continue to enforce speed limits across the road network.
The 20mph limit rely on a shift in driver behaviour which will take time to embed. The council is working with the Police to raise awareness of the 20mph speed limits through road safety education and prevention activities.
Why the limits apply 24 hours a day
While the majority of casualties happen during daylight hours, there is a significant number of people injured at night particularly in the autumn and winter months and at weekends. It is also important that operating hours are clear to avoid any confusion.
Does this unfairly target motorists
Our aim is to balance the needs of drivers with the safety and environment of local residents. 20mph limits create a safer environment for everyone, including motorists.
Profit from 20mph speeding fines
The council doesn't profit from the introduction of 20mph speed limits. Speeding fines are submitted to the UK Treasury through the Scottish Court Service and any 20mph fines are treated in exactly the same way.