Not So Fast! 2,000 Islanders Rally Against 20mph Limits

Islanders have made their feelings very clear on the Department of Infrastructure’s plan to roll out 20mph speed limits everywhere: they’d rather not, thanks.

A petition to halt the all-island 20mph project has already hit 2,000 signatures, proving that while we might have to drive slower, opposition is moving at full throttle.

Port St Mary was the first to get the new speed limits, with shiny new signs appearing to remind drivers to take it easy.

Ironically, Infrastructure Minister Michelle Haywood was caught by one of those very signs—admitting she ‘made the smiley face sad’ by creeping just 1mph over the limit.

A crime against smileys, if ever there was one.

Douglas Central MHK Chris Thomas put the Minister on the spot in the House of Keys this week, asking for evidence that lower speed limits actually work.

Mrs Haywood confessed there’s no Isle of Man-specific data, but said studies from the UK and Europe show they make roads safer.

Plus, she reassured everyone that the department’s approach is more ‘light touch’—no road humps or traffic-calming obstacles, just the occasional guilty glance at a disapproving LED face.

But the opposition isn’t slowing down. Critics argue that 20mph zones will clog up roads and even increase CO2 emissions.

And with plans to introduce the limits island-wide over the next two years, it looks like this debate is only just getting into second gear.

You can view the petition that has 2,009 signatures HERE.

What do you think—sensible safety measure or a one-way ticket to frustration? Let us know at hello@gef.im.