20mph Wales speed limit on all built-up roads goes live
Mon, 18 Sept 2023
The speed limit on all roads in built-up areas of Wales are now 20mph rather than 30mph as a nationwide rollout of the reduced limit goes live.
A law change means the speed limit on around 1 in 3 Welsh roads, where the lamp-posts are no more than 200 yards (that’s 183 metres) apart is now 20mph.
Motoring organisations are warning drivers not to rely on their sat nav for speed limits on residential roads, as they may not have been updated with the new lower speed limit.
Police say enforcing the new Wales 20mph speed limit will be “proportionate and reasonable” while motorists get used to the lower limit.
Welsh ministers say the 20mph speed limit will save lives and reduce noise pollution. It is also hoped more motorists will be encouraged to walk or cycle instead.
"It’s going to take you a minute longer to make your journey, and we will save 10 people’s lives in Wales every year as a result of that one minute contribution," Wales’ first minister Mark Drakeford told the BBC.
"It doesn’t seem an unfair bargain."
The nationwide 20mph scheme is costing £32.5m to roll out but studies suggest this will be outweighed by a £92m saving for the NHS and emergency services.
A public health study suggested the 20mph speed limit on residential roads and busy pedestrian streets across Wales could result in 40% fewer collisions, 6 to 10 lives saved and 1200 to 2000 people avoiding injury every year.
It will also "make streets safer for playing, walking and cycling, make our communities safer [and] improve health and wellbeing".
Legislation was approved by the Senedd in July 2022.
A Welsh government-commissioned consultation found that more people were against the speed limit than in support of it.
One of its documents suggested it could cause a “substantial” economic disadvantage of £4.5bn over 30 years, although ministers added there was “significant uncertainty” over the figure.
UK government House of Commons leader Penny Mordaunt said the new 20mph speed limit was 'insane' and 'punishing' motorists.
Opposition Welsh Conservatives supported a 20mph speed limit outside places such as schools and hospitals, but said a blanket rollout was "disastrous, frankly ludicrous and a war on motorists".
In response to criticism, Mark Drakeford likened the 20mph speed limit to the introduction of the breathalyser.
"Once it’s bedded in, I think people will look back and ask themselves why it was we were prepared to tolerate traffic going at excessive speeds in urban areas."
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