WIDESPREAD 20mph speed limits are expected to be introduced in towns across the North-East under plans to put the brakes on speeding drivers.

Newcastle and Hartlepool are in the process of introducing the policy in residential streets, and other towns look likely to follow.

The campaign is gathering momentum in Darlington, where a survey revealed that 71 per cent of residents backed the proposals, which would not incorporate traffic calming measures.

In Newcastle, the speed limit is to be reduced from 30mph to 20mph in 3,000 residential streets by November, while a pilot scheme is already running in Hartlepool and could be expanded over the course of the year.

The 20’s Plenty campaign excludes major arterial routes.

The policy is in place in Portsmouth, and supporters say the city has seen a 22 per cent reduction in casualties from road traffic collisions.

Matthew Snedker, who is leading the campaign in Darlington, said lowering the default speed limit in residential areas would save fuel, money and, most importantly, lives.

“20’s Plenty is just one policy,”

he said.

“Yet this policy has the ability to bring about positive changes to the lives of many thousands of people.

“Everyone benefits from 20mph limits, even motorists.

“For motorists, it would have minimal effects to journey times. On a two-mile journey, it would increase the time by about two minutes.

“Anyone who objects to adding two minutes to their journey really doesn’t care about children.”

Councillor Stephen Thomas, of Hartlepool Borough Council, has played a key role in introducing the scheme to his town. He said it was an affordable way of saving lives.

“This is about reclaiming the roads, not just for cars but for cyclists and pedestrians as well,” he said.

“Some people say they are perfectly capable of driving responsibly at 30mph, but the fact is that 20mph is a far more safe speed to be driving at.”

But Ged O’Hare, chairman of Hartlepool Advanced Motorists, said the limits would be hard to enforce and a more effective way would be to educate drivers.

He said: “I would rather see drivers driving at speeds appropriate to the circumstances, with good observation, skills and awareness to deal with any situation that might unfold.”

Phil Ruddick, of Cleveland Advanced Motorcylists, said he thought the measures would be effective.

“I think that some people tend to go ten per cent over the limit, but even accounting for that people will be ten miles an hour slower, which can only be good in residential streets,” he said.

A spokeswoman for Darlington Borough Council said: “We implement 20mph zones under the current Department of Transport guidance which requires physical measures such as road humps in the road. However, we would consider any changes to the Department of Transport’s guidance on the implementation of 20mph zones.”