Everton’s Ross Barkley and Liverpool Football Club’s Adam Lallana have teamed up to support the City of Liverpool’s principal road safety campaign the 20 effect.
The two midfield stars, who are both England internationals, both sport the number 20 shirt for their teams and were delighted to throw their weight behind the safety initiative.
Barkley said: “This is a great project which will make the city a safer place. As a child I spent hours playing football around the streets with my mates and it’s easy to get distracted by the ball and not pay attention to the roads. I’m proud to support a campaign that is helping to create a safer environment for everyone in the city.
Lallana, 26 from St Albans who joined Liverpool in 2014 said “Since I came to the city I’ve found it to be a wonderfully welcoming place with passionate and inspiring people. Road safety is incredibly important and I am sure the people of the city will appreciate the benefit of lower speed limits and respond positively.”
Backed by Merseyside Police, Merseyside Fire & Rescue and Merseytravel, the 20 effect will ultimately see a new 20 mph speed limit on 70 per cent of the city’s streets. Focussing on residential streets rather than main thoroughfares, the programme started in 2012 and is in the process of being rolled out city-wide. The programme enjoys overwhelming public support in Liverpool.
Liverpool’s 20 effect programme has won recognition from road safety campaigners for its ‘community first’ approach and the subsequent driver education and enforcement activity while other English cities have sought out advice from Liverpool in preparing their own 20mph programmes.