French town sets 30 kph speed limit on all roads
A town near Bordeaux (Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine) has become the first of its size in France to introduce a 30 kph speed limit on all of its roads.
B猫gles, a town of 27,000 inhabitants on the banks of the Garonne River, around five kilometres from the centre of Bordeaux, is often used as a cut-through by drivers wishing to avoid city traffic.
The town yesterday (July 8), making the maximum speed limit 30 kph on every single one of its roads.
The limit improve public safety - as stopping distances for vehicles at 30 kph is almost half that at 50 kph - and also expected to help reduce traffic noise and air pollution.
The town鈥檚 mayor, Cl茅ment Rossignol Puech - who is also vice-president of Bordeaux M茅tropole and president of the climate agency l鈥橝gence Energie Climat Bordeaux Gironde - confirmed the change on Twitter, in response to a question from a French account appearing to be associated with driving app Waze.
The mayor : 鈥淭he aim is for our residents to take back their public space. Children, parents with prams, seniors, people with reduced mobility, cyclists, roller skaters, pedestrians, all have the right to move around in peace.鈥�
