Drivers are against the idea of a blanket 20mph speed limit on urban roads, according to research published today by road safety charity, Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).

Half of drivers from the UK are against a blanket 20mph speed limit with under a third willing to embrace the idea and a fifth are undecided. Male drivers are more likely to be against the idea than female.

Fifty-five per cent of young drivers were against 20mph zones as a speed limit for towns while thirty-four per cent of older drivers were in favour.

Drivers are very supportive of lower speed limits outside schools, with ninety-four per cent of respondents agreeing that this would be a good idea. Areas with high numbers of pedestrians such as parks (34 per cent), hospitals and shops were the next most popular with 21 per cent of drivers in favour. Only eight per cent of respondents opted for 20 mph near cycle lanes.

Over three quarters of drivers believe that 20mph speed limits help to increase safety for pedestrians; however, only a fifth saw it as a positive advantage for cyclists. Pollution and noise were not seen as important benefits.

Using 20mph speed limit signs only to enforce lower limits was twice as popular as physical traffic calming measures and three times more popular than the use of speed cameras. Only a fifth of drivers think enforcing 20 limits should be a police priority.

Sixty-eight per cent of drivers would like to see a specially tailored re-education course for drivers caught doing up to 30mph in a 20mph zone.

There is a difference between speed limits and zones. Councils have the power to introduce 20 mph speed limits and zones without obtaining consent from the Secretary of State.

Speed zones are a collection of streets with a 20 mph limit whereas speed limits are set for individual roads. Some local authorities have set 20 mph speed limits on a number of individual roads so creating blanket coverage of residential areas with a 20 mph speed limit.

20 mph speed limits can be introduced without any form of traffic calming. In many areas they are being used across the whole area. Whilst not as effective as 20mph speed zones they can still produce significant lowering of speeds over a wide area for very little cost. Compliance is increased by publicity, driver awareness and community involvement. This can and does play a large part in self-enforcement.

IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “Drivers are not as negative about 20mph speed limits as many commentators would have us believe. Those responding to our survey found it quite easy to stick to 20 and there is large scale support for 20mph outside schools.”

“However, most drivers don’t want 30mph zones to be replaced with 20mph in towns. Many drivers still need to be convinced it would be a benefit. Re-education is also much more popular than prosecution. The total number of under 16s involved in accidents between school rush hours in the morning and afternoon is 6, 106. Good design and widespread consultation is the key to the successful use of 20mph zones as a road safety tool because limits that match the road environment enforce themselves.”

Telecommunications company Sure has backed Isle of Man based film producer Glenn Whorrall, of yourmoviecrew, to create a TT 'tilt shift' film of the 2013 Isle of Man TT Races.

The film, which has been called 'TT Microworlds' was filmed during the 2013 meeting and features shots from a couple of the races interspersed with festival images and footage of the Isle of Man during the fortnight.

The film will be screened at the Villa Broadway during race week. It will be shown before the 'Road' documentary featuring the Dunlop family and will be promoted via the TT's Facebook and Twitter accounts and be posted as a news story on the official iomtt.com website.

The tilt shift filming technique features the use of a tilt to create a selective focus and digital post-production simulates a particular scene in miniature. Tilt shift films currently posted on youtube include an edit on Rio Carnival that has had millions of views while Melbourne, New York and Sydney are among the world's leading cities that have been featured in the time lapse technique.

Sarah Jarvis, Marketing Manager of Sure, the TT's official Mobile and Broadband Partner, commented: "The film has been really well edited and represents a great snapshot of the TT festival. It clearly has great potential to go viral and is a great advert for both the TT Races and the Isle of Man."

She continued: "As a company Sure is keen to support the local arts scene and as an official TT partner the film represents a great fit for our company."

Glenn Whorrall, MD, yourmoviecrew, commented: "I'm a passionate TT fan and wanted to create something different that shows off the event. It's very difficult to sum up all of the action that goes on during the two week festival in just two and a half minutes but hopefully my film will give people who know the event a different perspective and people who don't an idea of what it's about."

Sam Lowes collected well-earned championship points in Le Mans today after finishing the French Moto2 race within the top ten in ninth position.

Making his debut at the French circuit Sam started the race from the fourth row of the grid after qualifying in tenth place. A run-off in the early stages saw the young-Brit lose some time, but he soon got back on the pace and eventually went on to score the fourth best lap of the race.

In his maiden Moto 2 season Sam is currently 12th in the overall riding standings and is looking to further improve at the next round at Mugello, Italy in two weeks time (30 May – 1 June).

As well as six high quality solo races, the 2014 Isle of Man TT Races, fuelled by Monster Energy, is set to see two highly competitive Sure Sidecar TT races with a stellar line-up of outfits confirmed..

Reverting back to the open regulations, last used in 2010, the entry, again in excess of 60 machines, features no less than six former race winners and nine drivers who have already lapped the Mountain Course at over 110mph. Like their solo counterparts, the quality and strength in depth is undeniable.

Sixteen-time race winner Dave Molyneux, heads the field and is number 1 on the grid, with Patrick Farrance again his partner. The duo won both races in 2012 but had to settle for second and third places last year and will be looking to get back to winning ways on their DMR Kawasaki.

Last year’s race winners Ben and Tom Birchall and Tim Reeves and Daniel Sayle will be in hot pursuit of the anglo/Manx pair. The Birchall's, who will again chase World Championship glory in 2014, bounced back following their first race disappointment to take the second three-lap affair last year and are well placed to repeat the feat in their LCR Honda, again entered by former triple race winner Austrian Klaus Klaffenbock.

Reigning British F1 Champion Reeves, who starts one place behind the Birchalls from third,  will again have Sayle on board as passenger.   This year they will be using a DMR, rather than LCR, chassis. The Kent-based driver led the Sure Sidecar 1 race last year from start to finish and, like Birchall, set his personal best lap of the course during the meeting.   As the TT is his main outing of the year he’ll be focused on taking his second win. Sayle, meanwhile, will be hoping to make it nine wins and become the most successful passenger of all time.

A fourth former race winner is at number 4 in the shape of John Holden and Andy Winkle. They took a brace of fourths last year but went on to clinch the British F2 Championship, highlighting that they are still very much at the top of their game and ready to at least double their haul of TT wins.

Conrad Harrison and Mike Aylott start at number five and, while they have yet to take a win, have consistently been close with a superb record of six podiums in the last seven races. A first victory is long overdue for the ever-cheerful Bradford driver whose son Dean stood on the TT podium for the first time at last year's meeting in the Lightweight TT solo's class.

They’ll be followed down Bray Hill by Gary Bryan and Jamie Winn, another consistent pairing, who regularly finish inside the top six, getting quicker around the Mountain Course every year.  They will be well placed to pick up the pieces if the likes of Molyneux, Birchall and Reeves fail to finish.

At seven and eight are two returning crews, 2003 race winner Ian Bell, now partnered by son Carl, and Nigel Connole. Bell hasn’t competed at the TT for ten years but has been winning in the British Championship, Southern 100 and Scarborough so is sure to be near the front of the race while Connole returns for the first time since 2008. Although yet to stand on the podium, the Scunthorpe driver has three top six finishes to his name as well as a personal best lap of 110.562mph.

With no-one at number nine, due to a withdrawal, Greg Lambert, Lambert who will be having his 22nd successive year of TT competition is the final seeded driver at Number 10.. The double podium finisher has Kenny Cole alongside him this year.

The next group of ten riders sees more quality in the form of Manxmen Karl Bennett/Lee Cain (11), Frank Lelias/Paul Knapton (12), Rob Handcock/Basil Bevan (14), the evergreen Roy Hanks/Kevin Perry (15), Gordon Shand/Phil Hyde (16), the father and daughter pairing of Tony Baker/Fiona Baker-Milligan (17) and Wayne Lockey/Mark Sayers (18).

The returning crews of Carl Fenwick/Phil Knapton and Dave Wallis/Steve Wareham have been awarded numbers 19 and 20 with second place finisher in 1997, Vince Biggs, having his first TT outing since 2000, lining with nephew Robert at number 25.

Many of the class stalwarts are back including Mike Cookson/Kris Hibberd (22), John Saunders/Robert Lunt (26), Tony Thirkell/Nigel Barlow (29) and Howard Baker/Mike Killingsworth (30).

The field is again full of overseas talent with France dominating the International pack with  Remy Guignard/Frederique Poux (23), Francois Leblond/Anne Garnish (33), Estelle Leblond/Sebastien Lavorel (41), Claude Montagnier / Tomas Bordier (40) and Franck Barbier / Emmanuel Debroise (47) and Eric Beneteau / Yannick Naboulet (62) Other international competitors include Austrian Michael Grabmuller/Justin Sharp (36), and Australians Darryl Rayner/Richard Lawrence (43) and newcomer Australian father and son pairing Dwight Beare* / Noel Beare* (61).

Darren Hope/Paul Bumfrey, fast newcomers in 2013, return while new names set for their Mountain Course debut this year include leading lights from the British F2 Championship John/Jake Lowther and Alan Founds/Tom Peters.

A GOLDEN era of motorsport, and a fantastic weekend of motorcycling – that’s what visitors to one of the year’s best shows are set to enjoy later this month.

The 34th Carole Nash Classic MotorCycle Show takes place on the weekend of April 26-27 at Staffordshire County Showground, and racing legend John Surtees will be there as guest of honour five decades after becoming the first man to win world championships on two and four wheels following his fantastic tussle with Graham Hill for the 1964 F1 title.

Surtees will take along his Ferrari 158 car, plus his championship winning MV Agusta and Norton F Model, while there will be more fantastic machinery to see, including a Moto Major – an Italian made motorcycle never before seen in the UK.

The Bonhams auction is always a highlight of ‘Spring Stafford’ and this time includes a 1939 Brough Superior SS100 motorcycle once owned by the designer himself. First registered on May 24, 1939 by George Brough, the SS100 was put through its paces taking part in the London to Edinburgh endurance run two days later.

The current owner’s father has stored the motorcycle since 1967, using it sporadically since then, and it has been maintained to a high standard. The Brough Superior has an estimated sale value of £140,000-180,000.

Among the other treasures up for auction over the weekend are a 1975 Bimota 970cc HB1 and a 1929 Scott 596cc racing motorcycle.

The two day event will have something for everyone with an interest in motorcycles, including some superb private entry and classic club bikes, along with hundreds of trade stands, an extensive autojumble, The National Motorcycle Museum plus live entertainment in the form of the Wall of Death, Classic Racer Grand Prix Paddock and Classic Dirt Bike Experience.

But for many, it’s the appearance of Surtees which takes it into the premier league of events, especially as he celebrates two landmarks this year – the golden anniversary of his F1 title, and his own 80th birthday.

He’ll be sharing stories from his fantastic career on and off the track, and also promoting a new photographic memoir which will be launched in June – the proceeds of which will go to the Henry Surtees Foundation.

Show organiser Nick Mowbray said: “John Surtees is a hero of so many classic and modern motorcycle enthusiasts; what he achieved is truly remarkable. He is a star name… and not just in motorsport.

“No other man will ever repeat what he has, and this will be a fantastic chance to come and see John in the flesh.”

Advance tickets for the 34th Carole Nash International Classic MotorCycle Show can still be bought from www.classicbikeshows.com or over the phone by calling 01507 529529 – with an advance one day adult ticket costing £10, a £3 saving on the gate price.

The show is open from 9am – 6pm on Saturday and 9am – 5pm on Sunday. Parking is free.