A NATIONAL charity is leading calls for a defeat speed limit of 20mph across the country. 

Living Streets Scotland has joined with Ramblers Scotland to submit evidence to the Scottish Parliament to say the current approach of creating 20mph as the exception is back to front. 

Instead, chiefs at the charity want to see 30mph as the exception to the rule and 20mph used as the default. 

Stuart Hay, director of Living Streets Scotland, gave evidence at the Scottish Parliament's Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee yesterday. 

Mr Hay said: “20mph is currently the default in some - but not all - local authority areas. This inconsistent approach is confusing for drivers and makes education on speed more challenging.

“There is strong evidence that any reduction in average and maximum speeds in urban areas will save lives, with speed being the critical factor in relation to stopping distances in a collision.

“Changing a limit that was established in the 1930s to better reflect modern evidence on the relationship between speed and casualty levels can’t come soon enough. In 2017, no one died in 20mph limit whereas the majority of pedestrian deaths and serious injuries occur in 30mph areas.

“It’s time to extend 20mph to protect children on their entire walk to school, rather than just some geographical areas beside school buildings at limited times. This safe network of streets should be part of plan to meet national targets on physical activity”