The Prime Minister is reportedly preparing to make an announcement with local councils over the new 20mph zones in England.
Rishi Sunak it to make an announcement for a plan for motorists at the upcoming Conservative Party conference in Manchester.
Sunak is reportedly planning to limit the power local councils have to introduce new 20mph zones across England.
He is to restrict the number of hours a day that cars are not allowed to drive in bus lanes and Sunak is expected to scale back the low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs).
A Department for Transport (DfT) source said the reports of the possible new measures are pure “speculation.”
Sarah Mitchell, chief executive of charity Cycling UK, said: “When Beeching took an axe to local railways in the 1960s, we were robbed of the freedom to choose how we travel. The Government’s reported Plan for Motorists feels like history repeating itself.
“We need a holistic plan for how people can travel – not a plan that zooms in on one particular mode of transport.
“Better public transport and safer ways for people to cycle and walk are entirely compatible with driving.
“Focusing on one way of travelling is like trying to complete a jigsaw with half the pieces missing.”
IAM RoadSmart director of policy Nicholas Lyes said: “It’s clear 20mph limits have a role to play in improving road safety, but the proliferation of blanket limits without physical changes to road layouts means compliance is often poor.
“For the most part, drivers support targeted 20mph limits in high-risk locations and local authorities are usually best placed to judge the location of these.
“There is an argument, however, to strengthen guidance on how we make these limits more effective.”
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