IN his letter of (Warrington Guardian, January 4) Christopher Lee stated that ‘during discussions on the implementation of widespread 20mph limits in Warrington supporters of the proposals frequently referred to the successful implementation of the limits in the city of Bath’.

Having lived my first 17 years in Bath and the last 32 in Warrington then I have knowledge of both places. And as the lead campaigner for 20mph limits in Warrington I can inform Mr Lee that his claim is ridiculous.

Warrington conducted its own 150 road pilot from October 2008 for an 18-month period and found a 27 per cent reduction in casualties in residential roads above the change for the rest of the borough.

These results were presented to the executive cabinet in October 2010 and the coalition of Lib-Dem and Conservative councillors decided on the implementation of wide-area 20mph limits for most residential roads across the borough. These were implemented in a three-year phased program that was endorsed by the new Labour administration when it took control.

Bath and North East Somerset did not start its wide-area implementation of 20mph limits until 2011 with just 29 in that year and 103 in 2012. So how campaigners before 2010 could have referenced a ‘successful implementation’ on Bath’s roads which still had a 30mph limit is beyond my comprehension.

A closer investigation of the 2017 Bath report would have shown that casualties in the city of Bath actually reduced by 23 per cent in the year after 20mph limits were introduced.

He would also have found that the incidence of serious casualties was so low, and in single figures across the whole city, that there is no statistical significance whatsoever and certainly no casuality link. Had he researched further he would have found that when the Bath council scrutiny panel reviewed the report they decided that nothing could be inferred from the report and effectively rejected it.

Warrington’s cross party supported 20mph limits have been a success and over 25 per cent of the country now live in authorities with a 20mph policy. 20mph is becoming the default for urban and village areas throughout Europe and increasingly in the rest of the world. Warrington’s councillors should be proud that their 2010 decision was a world leading initiative and the benefits that have come as a result.

ROD KING Lymm