20mph Speed Limit Policy
Sheffield City Council is reviewing its approach to 20mph speed limits, which currently focuses on residential streets. We want to hear your views on 20mph speed limits and on what types of streets they should be considered. We want to create safe streets that everyone wants to use and enjoy.
We are asking for your feedback to help us develop an updated 20mph speed limit policy for Sheffield. Your views are important to us and we want to know what you think about this issue.
Our engagement is about the Council’s overall policy for 20mph speed limits. It does not propose an immediate change to the speed limit of any road in the city. Any current and future proposals for changes to speed limits for individual streets or areas will be considered separately and will be subject to a statutory consultation process.
An image of a road marking showing a 20mph speed limit Why are we reviewing the 20mph speed limit policy?
Each year, around 300 people are killed or seriously injured on roads across Sheffield.
Making Sheffield’s roads safer for everyone is an important part of our role. We are a member of the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership (SYSRP) which believes in working to a Safe System approach. Its core principle is that:
No human being should be killed or seriously injured as the result of a road collision in South Yorkshire.
Safe speeds are an important part of this approach. Setting appropriate speed limits can help reduce the likelihood and severity of collisions. Introducing 20mph speed limits in the right places is one way of improving road safety.
Our Road Safety Delivery Plan is being updated to guide how we improve road safety in the city. Within the Delivery Plan, it is proposed to include an updated policy on 20mph speed limits. As part of the development of the updated policy we are considering if there are other types of streets, in addition to residential streets, that may benefit from a 20mph speed limit.
What is our current policy for 20mph speed limits?
Our policy for 20mph schemes was approved in March 2012. It introduced 20mph speed limits in appropriate residential areas. The guidance uses existing average vehicle speeds to determine whether a 20mph sign only speed limit can be introduced. In the current policy:
- Residential roads that have average speeds of 24mph or below are automatically considered for a 20mph speed limit.
- Roads that have average speeds between 24mph and 27mph are considered for a 20mph speed limit on a case-by-case basis using government guidelines.
- Roads that have an average speed of 27mph or more are only considered where funding can be identified. This is to ensure funding is available for the required traffic calming measures that would be needed to reduce vehicle speeds.
An image of a 20mph road sign in a residential area What are the impacts of the 20mph speed limits?
20mph speed limits are introduced to make roads safer for everyone that uses them. They are aimed at reducing the number and severity of collisions and create more pleasant places for all. Research has found that each 1mph reduction in average speeds can result in a 5 per cent reduction in collision frequency. Separately, evidence in Wales shows that in the first 18 months after 20mph speed limits were introduced in 2023, the number of people killed or seriously injured on 20mph and 30mph roads fell by 11 per cent.
Concerns about 20mph speed limits are usually about the impact on journey times and air quality.
Journey times
There is evidence that shows that the impact of 20mph speed limits on journey times is generally small. Welsh Government analysis found that, for 60 assessed journey times, the average increase in journey time with a 20mph speed limit in place, was around eight seconds per mile. Additionally, the reliability of journey times improved for 45 of the 60 routes assessed.
Air quality
An evaluation of 20mph speed limits in London by Imperial College London showed that they do not increase vehicle exhaust emissions with vehicles moving more smoothly, with fewer accelerations and decelerations, than 30mph speed limit areas.
How can people get involved?
If you live, work, study or travel in Sheffield, we would like to hear your views on 20mph speed limits. Please complete the online survey at the end of this page by 11:59pm on Sunday 8 November 2026.
What will the feedback be used for?
The results from the survey will be analysed and used to inform our updated 20mph speed limit policy. The policy will be presented to councillors for consideration and approval. We will provide further updates here in due course.
Stay up to date
Get the latest information about transport projects across Sheffield by signing up to receive our emails. You will receive updates straight to your inbox.
Contact us
If you have any questions please email us at: Transport@sheffield.gov.uk.