St Andrews to introduce 20mph speed limit across town to improve road safety

Fife Council is to introduce a new 20mph maximum speed limit across St Andrews.

Over the coming weeks, new signage will be installed to inform drivers of the changes to the speed limit and encourage them to drive appropriately.

The 20mph speed limit was introduced at the request of local councillors, in accordance with the Scottish Government’s plans to reduce speed limits on all appropriate urban roads by the end of 2025.

A Scottish Government 20mph Implementation Guide outlines how reducing the speed limit from 30mph to 20mph in urban areas can significantly impact road safety.

According to the guide, in 2023, 65% of all pedestrian casualties, 61% of all pedal cyclist casualties, 31% of all motorcyclist casualties and 30% of car casualties occurred on roads with a speed limit of 30mph.

Cllr Jonny Tepp, convenor, North East Fife Area Committee, said: “The introduction of the 20mph speed limit in St. Andrews is an important step in improving road safety for residents of North East Fife.

“Reducing the limit within the town boundaries ensures that drivers have more time to respond to unexpected events and significantly reduces the risk of fatal accidents.

“The new Scottish Government initiative will help to promote safer driving in and around the town of St. Andrews, as well as drastically improving road safety for all residents and vulnerable road users.

“We know that changes like these can be difficult to adjust to and take time to settle in, so we thank the community for their cooperation, and we will continue to monitor the changes to the speed limit as they are rolled out across St. Andrews.”

20mph speed limits have also been proposed for roads in Cupar, Kingsbarns, and Newburgh, after residents raised concerns regarding road safety.