This joint policy statement from Eurocities and the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) calls for stronger national and EU action to make lower urban speeds a central part of Europe’s road safety policy and accelerate progress towards Vision Zero.
The EU has a goal to eliminate road deaths and serious injuries by 2050, with an interim target to reduce them by 50% by 2030.
However, progress has stalled, particularly in urban areas where interactions between different road users are most frequent. Pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users remain especially exposed, while evidence shows that even small reductions in speed can significantly reduce the likelihood and severity of injuries.
The statement draws on the Eurocities Pulse on 30 km/h in European Cities, which shows how cities across Europe are already introducing lower speed limits, the benefits they are achieving and the barriers they face. Cities including Helsinki, Ghent and Fribourg demonstrate that systematic speed management, combined with street design, traffic calming measures and other incentives, can improve road safety, public health and urban liveability.
However, cities’ ability to introduce safer speeds depends heavily on national rules. Where legal, technical, governance and enforcement frameworks support municipalities, 30 km/h can become the default urban speed limit, with 50 km/h reserved for clearly justified exceptions. Where national frameworks are restrictive, implementation is slower, more fragmented and more vulnerable to legal challenges.
At national level, Eurocities and ETSC call on Member States to make 30 km/h the default urban speed limit, or give cities the authority to introduce city-wide 30 km/h limits themselves. Governments should also simplify legal and technical requirements for traffic calming and enforcement, including the use of speed cameras, strengthen cooperation between municipalities and police, and support more integrated planning that takes account of safety, air quality, noise and local environmental needs.
At the EU level, the European Commission should formally recommend 30 km/h as the default speed in urban areas, in line with the Safe System approach and World Health Organisation recommendations.
It should also establish clear criteria for when 50 km/h remains justified on main urban roads, provide direct funding for infrastructure, enforcement and public education, support EU-wide awareness campaigns and strengthen the exchange of data, good practice and technical standards between cities.
Eurocities and ETSC argue that safer urban speeds must become a core pillar of Vision Zero. With cities already demonstrating what can be achieved, stronger national and European frameworks are now needed to enable local authorities to act consistently and at scale.
Go to resource
