20mph for Safer Streets: Evidence, Delivery and Impact

The fifth in our Delivering 20 webinar series explores how reducing speed limits from 30mph to 20mph in built-up areas has the potential to play a transformative role in achieving the UK Government’s ambitious road safety targets - including a 65% reduction in casualties, rising to 70% for children and young people.

This webinar brings together leading voices from across the sector to explore how 20mph limits are already delivering measurable safety benefits in communities across the UK.

Hear directly from councillors and local authority officers who have successfully implemented 20mph schemes, sharing real-world insights into casualty reduction outcomes, public engagement, and delivery challenges.

We’ll also examine:

• The key barriers to wider 20mph adoption and how they can be overcome
• The role of the Government’s Road Safety Strategy in enabling a national approach
• Lessons from Wales, where a default 20mph limit was introduced in 2023 and casualty reductions are being sustained

Plus, get an exclusive preview of the upcoming Vision Zero Conference in Birmingham on 30 June.

REGISTER HERE

Speakers

Speakers

• Session Chair: Adrian Berendt, Director and Community Champion, 20's Plenty for Us CIC
• Darren Divall, Regional Road Safety Manager, Transport for West Midlands
• Cllr Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Transport Management, Oxfordshire County Council
• Phil Jones, Founder and Chair, Phil Jones Associates
• Sue Nicholls, Director, 20’s Plenty for Us CIC
• Adam O’Neill, Programme Development & Delivery Lead, Cornwall Council

Adam O’Neill is a Programme Development & Delivery Lead with nearly 20 years of experience.  Since 2022, he has led the implementation of the Cornwall-wide 20mph rollout across urban and rural communities. He has reduced speeds on thousands of roads and contributed to a circa. 30% reduction in collisions, whilst maintaining public support.

Adam is an Incorporated Engineer (IEng), a Fellow of the Institute of Highway Engineers (FIHE), and holds a BSc (Hons) in Civil Engineering.  He is committed to evidence-based practice, road safety, and creating safer, more liveable communities through sustainable transport initiatives.

Phil Jones is a Chartered Engineer with extensive experience in transport policy, planning and design. He is the founder and Chairman of PJA, a 175-strong firm providing transport, engineering, environment and placemaking services from eight offices in the UK and two in Australia. Over the last 15 years he has focused on active travel, helping to produce key guidance documents such as Local Transport Note 1/20, Cycle Infrastructure Design. Between 2019 and 2024 he advised Welsh Government on the establishment of the default 20mph speed limit for urban areas in Wales.

Darren Divall’s role at Transport for West Midlands is to enable, support and facilitate road safety improvements across the West Midlands Combined Authority region and is Lead Coordinator for the 17 Regional Road Safety Partnership organisations. He ensures delivery of a strategic approach aimed at achieving a 50% reduction in the number of killed and seriously injured casualties by 2030. During his career he has worked for three UK local authorities as well as the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory and also has over 20 years’ international experience. Over the last three years, he has worked alongside the road safety partnership to develop and launch a new Regional Road Safety Strategy 2023-2030 and Regional Road Safety Action Plan 2024-2030.

Darren is chairperson of the newly formed Urban Transport Group Road Safety Working Party, established to support other combined authorities, highway authorities and cities to collaborate on national road safety issues, ensuring a consistent voice to government and industry. 

Sue Nicholls has been a 20’s Plenty campaigner for six years, starting with the formation of a local campaign in her hometown in Hertfordshire and going on to also become a county campaign coordinator. She joined the national 20’s Plenty team in 2021 as graphics and media coordinator and became a director in 2025. 

Andrew Gant is a Cabinet Member for Transport Management at Oxfordshire County Council and a Liberal Democrat councillor for Oxford. He was first elected to Oxford City Council in 2014 and to the County Council in 2021. Alongside his political role, Andrew has an extensive background in music. He has held senior positions at Westminster Abbey, the Royal Military Chapel and the Chapel Royal, where he served as Organist, Choirmaster and Composer from 2000 to 2013. He is also a lecturer in music at the University of Oxford, an author of several books on music, and an experienced public speaker.

Adrian Berendt is Director and Community Champion for 20’s Plenty for Us. He is a leading advocate for safer, lower-speed streets and works closely with communities and local authorities to promote the benefits of 20 mph limits.

Adrian will also be chairing the session, guiding discussion and supporting contributions from all speakers.