Ms Muireann O'Dea:

The original research came from Sweden in the 1970s, so it is very much out of date. As the Deputy pointed out, the size of vehicles nowadays make them safe for those in them but very dangerous for those outside.

On the previous point, whether local authorities have the will and resources to produce designs that promote lower speeds, I fully agree with all the points made on designing roads that have a natural traffic-calming effect, but designs should not be a reason to delay the introduction of 30 km/h speed limits. Edinburgh is a very good example in this regard. From the middle of 2016, its authorities rolled out wide-area 20 mph zones. This involved a sign-only scheme, with no physical traffic calming. With a very modest average speed reduction of about 2 km/h, the authorities saw major benefits. There was a 38% reduction in road traffic collisions. A survey showed that 35% more children were allowed to play on the road. It was based on a sign-only scheme. It is definitely a good starting point. It can be built upon with design and enforcement.