To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to facilitate the introduction of 20 mph speed limits in the streets around schools. [5396]

Most schools are sited on local roads and it is therefore for individual councils, as the roads authorities responsible for road safety and traffic management, to consider in the first instance the designation of 20 mph speed limits on these roads. The Scottish Office welcomes applications for 20 mph zones and Councils were invited last year to examine the scope for introducing more such zones in their areas.Current criteria for 20 mph zones generally require the installation of engineering measures such as road humps. The Scottish Office Development Department is now considering the scope for a number of pilot projects which would relax these criteria with the aim of giving local authorities greater freedom to introduce 20 mph speed limits in residential areas and around schools.