The Isle of Man Government Treasury Department has recently refused to support the Department of Infrastructure’s (“DOI”) plans to implement the resolution of Tynwald dated 22 October 2020, to introduce 20mph zones in all of the island’s residential areas.
In a written response dated 31 October 2022 to a question from Mr Mercer MLC, Treasury Minister the Honourable Dr Allinson MHK stated: -
“The Treasury considered this request for additional funding against all other competing requests and was unable to accommodate the amount with the financial resources available in the budget for the current financial year.”
Despite the Treasury Minister having voted for the original Tynwald resolution, the Minister and Treasury Department had decided that it was not deserving of funding. This is despite, in the Green Party’s view, quantifiable economic and social benefits for the Isle of Man.
Isle of Man Green Party notes that a study published on 7 November 2022 highlighted the material economic benefit in 20mph zones The study was published by the Transport Research Institute, Part of Edinburgh Napier University, and was commissioned by the Welsh Government. The study states:
“This report estimates the casualty savings of 20mph, in the first year alone, to be around £100M; three times higher than the implementation costs… From casualty reductions alone the saving is clearly a major benefit for society in not having to pay for the multiple costs attendant with road traffic crashes, hospital care and any longer term care, nor the loss of earnings from premature deaths and injuries.”
The Green Party applied the model used by the Transport Research Institute in its paper in analysing the figures for different classifications of accidents resulting in injuries in the Isle of Man. The data was identified in Freedom of Information response 1341741 dated 24 June 2020. The model indicates an annual saving of £10.2 million from casualty reductions if the speed limit on all roads were reduced to 20mph. The data considered did not allow us to distinguish between (and therefore value) roads that would be re-classified as 20mph on the fulfilment of Tynwald’s resolution and those that would not.
The Green Party also notes that reducing speed limits to 20mph can significantly reduce carbon emissions, through vehicle drivers driving more efficiently. A recent study (linked below) from engineering consultants, Future Transport, showed significant and substantial reductions in emissions: CO2 lower by 26% and NOx 28% lower.
Andrew Langan-Newton, leader of the Isle of Man Green Party stated:
“Save for the very obvious benefit of the reduction in road traffic fatalities and serious accidents, speed limit reductions are a key initiative to reduce climate-warming CO2 emissions and other harmful gases. It has a significant impact on public health (both physical and mental) through air quality improvements and encouraging active travel.”
In this respect, it is noteworthy that The Welsh Government is developing its own plan to set a national 20mph limit for urban and village roads by 2023. The Scottish Government has also pledged to make 20mph the norm in Scottish built-up areas by 2025. In May 2021, the Spanish Government set a national urban 30km/h speed limit.
The Isle of Man has written to the Treasury Minister, asking him to clarify if the Treasury Department has taken into account either of the above factors, when deciding to refuse its approval of the DOI’s implementation costs, as it is not clear in the Minister’s response to Mr Mercer whether this was the case.
Future Transport Study: https://futuretransport.info/urban-traffic-research/
Transport Research Institute Study: https://blogs.napier.ac.uk/tri/wp-content/uploads/sites/56/2022/11/Technical-Paper-101.The-value-of-prevention.AD_.pdf
Treasury Minister Response (23.11.2022)
————
The Isle of Man Green Party is a registered political party building a sustainable vision for the future of the Isle of Man. Further information can be found on the Party’s website www.greenparty.im and via email to committee@greenparty.im