The debate on the 30 km/h speed limit in residential areas has been going on for a long time. Now the European Parliament has come out in favour, proposing a 30 km/h speed limit in built-up areas, among other things, to improve road safety. According to the Clean Air Action Group, the introduction of such a limit would also have a number of other benefits.

Where it has been introduced, a general 30 km/h speed limit is successful because, in addition to reducing the number and severity of accidents, it also reduces noise and air pollution. People living on safer streets walk and cycle more, which can make a significant contribution to improving their health.

András Lukács, President of the Clean Air Action Group, said: “Moreover, heavy car traffic makes walking and cycling unenjoyable in many places. All this contributes to the fact that the population is getting less and less physically active, with tragic consequences: according to the World Health Organization, sedentary lifestyle causes the premature death of one million people in Europe every year and causes or exacerbates a wide range of diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, breast cancer, reduced bone mass, depression and obesity. Unfortunately, Hungary leads Europe in the proportion of people who are overweight, which is an increased risk now, during the coronavirus epidemic.”

Márton Vargha, Transport Policy Officer of the Clean Air Action Group, added: “The road network is there to get from one place to another. But in doing so, we need to look out for those who live along the roads. It’s good if we pollute their air as little as possible and disturb them as little as possible with noise. Just as others do where we live. That's why it's good that in Budapest, too, there are more and more zones with 20 or 30 kilometre per hour speed limits."

Despite the positive experience, the NGO says that there are still many misconceptions about 30 km/h speed limits and that extensive awareness-raising is needed to dispel them.