Last month a teenager and a man in his 30s in Merton were both hit by lorries and killed.

We must, and can, do more to prevent such tragic events happening in future.

Over three quarters of injury deaths in 10-18 year olds are due to traffic incidents. Merton council has put 20mph speed limit zones around schools, which should make the areas round schools safer, but does not help elsewhere where most of the incidents occur, and it does not encourage children to walk or cycle to school.

Roads are not just for cars and lorries. We all need to use them, and we all should feel safe doing so. 

I believe it is time for a 20mph limit on all residential roads in Merton, which would reduce the number of road casualties and their severity.

It would make us all feel safer using roads, leading to more walking, cycling and better health. Many places in the UK, from Islington to Edinburgh, now have such a limit and have found it cheap to implement (less cost than lots of speed bumps) and effective in reducing casualties.

The 30mph limit was set in the 1930s - today's traffic levels and congestion mean that reducing peaks speeds would make only a small difference to journey times, but a big differences to the lives of vulnerable road users.

Now is a good time for us all to ask our politicians whether they are willing to make Merton safer - over 70 per cent of people in the UK support 20mph limits on residential roads, so it's time for them to act.

Keith Walton; Kenilworth Ave, Wimbledon

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