30km/h speed limits for healthy populations and vital cities

Many cities, including Rotterdam, are implementing 30 km/hour speed limits for cars. How can these 30km/hour speed limits make these cities healthier, more vital, more inclusive, and more sustainable? How are these gains (and losses) distributed across cities?

How are we conducting the research?

30km/hour speed limits have been shown to reduce fatal injuries, but little is known about its impact on other health outcomes such as physical activity, neighbourhood perceptions, and air pollution levels. Moreover, it is unclear whether the health impacts of these 30km/hour speed limits are larger on some people than others. First, we will build a data infrastructure to evaluate the impact of previous 30km/hour speed limit implementations in the Netherlands. Second, we will also collect data before and after soon-to-be implemented 30km/hour speed limits in some streets in Rotterdam.

How does our research make an impact?

From the start, we collaborate with the city of Rotterdam and other partners to ensure no opportunity will be missed. This research will improve our understanding on the health impacts of 30km/hour speed limits, and the importance of different components in the implementation of such a policy. Such understanding is urgently needed in light of the growing movement of European cities implementing these speed limits. Therefore, we also aim to share our results with the international community. Societally, we will use our results to inform policy approaches aimed at creating healthy, vital, inclusive, and sustainable cities. We will closely collaborate with policy-makers within this project, strengthening the dissemination of results and guiding policy action.

Project team

Partners

• Vital Cities and Citizens Initiative
• Erasmus School of Economics
• Erasmus Medical Center
• Erasmus Center for Urban, Port and Transport Economics
• Institute for Urban Housing and Development Studies
• Institute for Urban Housing and Development Studies Erasmus Initiative Smarter Choices for Better Health
• Flagship “Real-Time, Personalized Health Impact of Climate Change and Pollution”
• Academic collaborative centre CEPHIR
• Amsterdam UMC
• Municipality of Rotterdam
• KPN
• Dutch Institute for Road Safety Research (Stichting Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Verkeersveiligheid, SWOV),
• Local policymakers of the Municipality of Rotterdam (programme Rotterdam Veilig Vooruit, RVV)
• Researchers from the Municipality of Rotterdam responsible for the monitors and surveys (Onderzoek & Business Intelligence, OBI)