One of the major developments of 2020 has been the amendment of the General Traffic Regulations, which introduces a new speed limit: 30 km/h.
What is the speed limit in cities since November this year? 30 km/h, 20 km/h? Without doubt, it is one of the news stories of the year as far as urban road safety is concerned. And it was announced in the final stretch of 2020, the year of the coronavirus. It is true that for some time cities such as Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Salamanca, Cáceres and Málaga had been joining the trend of so-called "30 Zones". But national legislation was lacking.
This measure obviously affects us, the fleets of roadside assistance vehicles (after all, the State road network, any road, is where we work). Vehicles also need help in cities, whether while on the move (in the event of any mishap or accident) or when parked, in the open air or in a car park.
Royal Decree 970/2020 of 10 November 2020 amends the General Traffic Regulations and the General Vehicle Regulations. The idea is that both the authorities, with signage, and the public have enough time to adapt. For this reason it will come into force in six months' time (that is, in May 2021).
The text of the Royal Decree states that "the motor vehicle is no longer the main player and has given way to a shared use of the road" where motorcycles, bicycles, pedal-assisted bicycles, personal mobility vehicles and pedestrians coexist... all of which have been gaining importance.
The text says: "Changes in the general rules for vehicle and pedestrian traffic are one of the best indicators of the change society seeks in the use of the shared spaces that public roads constitute, and at the same time they highlight the public's awareness of road safety".
30 km/h speed limit
The Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) has been warning of a higher accident rate in cities (up to 69% this year). This is hardly surprising, since e-commerce (and the circulation of delivery vans) has soared by 67% in our country with the restrictions on movement brought by the COVID-19 health crisis.
The number of pedestrians hit by vehicles in cities (247 in 2019 alone), as well as the high percentage of people who lose their lives in urban settings, have led to the conclusion that limiting speed in cities will improve safety, no matter what.
In Spain, the regulation has been set out as follows:
- 20 km/h on roads where there is no difference in level between the carriageway and the pavement.
- 30 km/h on roads with a single lane in each direction.
- 50 km/h on roads with two or more lanes in each direction.
30 Cities: plenty of reasons
Moving towards a more sustainable city model, improving coexistence between vehicles and pedestrians… the truth is that this amendment to the rules is very much in tune with the times. There are unforeseen factors, such as the coronavirus itself, which has dramatically increased the flow of e-commerce and therefore delivery transport in cities, as mentioned.
Trying to make the city a friendlier, less dangerous space also has to do with the age of pedestrians. The ageing of the population is a reality. The proportion of pedestrian deaths among people over 65 in 2019 was no less than 70%.
The DGT had been toying with this new limit for some time, within a project called Ciudades 30 (30 Cities), which follows in the wake of the "30 Zones" concept. A concept that is undoubtedly gaining ground worldwide.