By Mark Hutchings and Daniel DaviesBBC News
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Aidy Drury has launched a petition against the plan because he says it makes “no sense at all” to put 20mph limits on busy main roads
Speed limits in built-up areas look set to be reduced from 30mph to 20mph in Wales from next year – a UK first that has sparked controversy among some drivers.
Ministers say the 20mph speed limit will reduce road collisions and traffic noise and encourage people to walk and cycle.
The slower limit has caused controversy in areas where there have been trials with some motorists complaining of more congestion and journeys taking longer.
Many cities in the UK have a 20mph limit on residential roads, but Wales will become the first nation to make it the default rule for all no-go roads – with Scotland following suit in 2025.
Leading tourism groups say Wales will become the first nation in the world to adopt a national default speed limit of 20mph on residential streets.
How much does a lower speed reduce the risk?
The latest police figures show that the vast majority – exactly half – of the 5,570 people injured in collisions in Wales happened on roads below 30mph and in more than 40% of them someone was killed or seriously injured injured.
Campaigners claim that the chances of someone surviving being hit by a car at 20mph instead of 30mph is seven times higher, while the stopping distance is almost halved.
“We know that 20mph zones reduce traffic speeds, reduce accidents – particularly accidents involving children,” Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said.
“We want to see this become the default position across Wales.”
The government claims the 20mph limit could save money
If the proposal gets the expected green light on Tuesday after initial support in the Senedd two years ago, the new 20mph limit – which will cost an estimated £33m to implement – will come into force in September 2023.
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A sign of things to come? Most residential roads in Wales could have 20mph limits next year
The Welsh Government claims that improved road safety and reductions in average speeds could save £58m over 30 years due to reduced demand for emergency services and subsequent hospital treatment.
But more people, in response to a consultation commissioned by the Welsh Government, were against the speed limit than for it.
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Ready, Steady, Slow…. Adie Drury’s petition claims a general residential road speed limit of 20mph will cause chaos
The Argument Against – “Motorcycles are overtaking cars”
After a pilot in her community in Buckley, Flintshire, Aidy Drury launched a petition against what she called “undemocratic whitewashing” and collected more than 12,500 signatures.
“The public has no problem with a 20mph limit where it is necessary and where it is safe, such as outside schools, health centers in housing estates and in high-traffic areas,” said the 39-year-old mother.
“I grew up in a housing estate and played football in the street when I was a kid and it’s good to invite the community into the road space – but it has to be where it’s appropriate.
“You wouldn’t want your kid playing football on a freeway, so why is the speed limit on the freeway 20 mph?”
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Buckley… Buckley was one of eight 20mph pilot zones in Wales and not everyone there supports the plan
“Cyclists have a great time on Liverpool Road because they can go over 20mph on their bikes and we can’t go over 20mph in a car – so I’ve had quite a few reports of people being overtaken by cycles. “
A national default speed limit of 20mph will apply on restricted roads, residential areas and busy pedestrianized streets where streetlights are less than 200 yards apart – and anyone caught speeding can face a minimum fine of £100 and three penalty points.
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Rob Mackie says someone will always be unhappy with the plan, whether it’s people living on the streets or commuters
The argument in favor – “A car going 30mph can feel quite threatening”
Rob Mackay is chairman of the local running club and believes the lower speed limit will “benefit the wider community”.
“It’s better for runners, walkers, dog walkers and cyclists,” the 74-year-old said.
“If I lived in Liverpool Road I would have one point of view; if I drove up and down Liverpool Road regularly I would have a different perspective – the Welsh Government needs to balance the two.
“If you live on a street, the slower the traffic past your house, the better the environment – some of that has to do with air pollution, but also with noise pollution. There’s a lot more to it than traffic jams.”
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Some would say that twenty is a lot on residential roads, but it also caused a bit of road rage
Rob, who lives in nearby Northop, has been part of Buckley Runners for 30 years and noticed the difference when he hit the roads in this part of Flintshire.
“If a car passes me at 20 miles an hour, it’s less disturbing than a car going 50 miles an hour,” Rob said.
“And I’m aware that there are a lot of cars that don’t even stick to 30mph and, especially in the dark, can feel quite threatening. So the lower limit really makes things better.
“I’m old enough to remember when they introduced drag queens and if we had social media in those days they would have been screaming. Now accept the fact that you can’t go out, drink 15 pints and drive home. Change is happening.”
“How can I drop the kids off and cycle to work?”
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The Welsh Government is committed to making roads safer, especially around schools
“They would like us to stop using our cars and use our legs to cycle and walk, but we don’t have the infrastructure here to do that,” points out Adi, a health and social care student at the University of Chester.
“We don’t have cycle lanes, we have narrow lanes and public transport is bad. We don’t all live in Cardiff and have Cardiff’s infrastructure, public transport and industry on our doorstep.
“Our nearest towns and cities are where our industry is and that’s where people have to travel, you can’t cycle 15 to 20 miles each way when you have kids to pick up and drop off. In rural places, this is not possible and this must be recognized.
“Improve road infrastructure first”
“No one is in favor of making the roads safer or making it more dangerous for children and people to cross the road, but at the same time people live busy lives.
“Our message to the government, before it does something like this to another city, is to improve the infrastructure and get the community involved. First give us bike lanes and an alternative to the car.”
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Councils can make exceptions to 20mph limits on residential roads, just not outside schools
The Welsh Government has admitted that the new lower limit will not be suitable everywhere and local authorities can make exceptions, but not outside schools.
“Much cheaper”
Although road collisions in Wales have fallen from more than 10,000 a year in 1993 to around 4,000 according to the latest figures, the Welsh Government is committed to making roads even safer.
Now, 30 years after a limit of 20mph or 30km/h without traffic calming measures was first introduced on all residential streets in one area – the Austrian city of Graz – it is to be given the green light to be introduced across the Wales.
In the UK, the first 20mph limit was at a junction in the Tinsley area of Sheffield in 1991, and now cities such as Portsmouth, Norwich, Oxford and Bristol are among those with lower limits for residential roads.
🚗 Speed limits in Llandaff North, Whitchurch & Tongwynlais, Rhiwbina & Heath have been reduced to 20mph ahead of the Welsh Government’s national rollout.
👉 For more information and FAQ visit: https://t.co/4x1801yKOa
Reducing the default speed limit to 20mph saves lives. 👇 pic.twitter.com/RFrFTEyv9j
— Cardiff Council (@cardiffcouncil) July 6, 2022
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) has encouraged the wider use of 20mph limits as a “significantly cheaper” way than introducing traffic calming measures, adding that it “significantly improves the character of the residential area and the quality of life of the inhabitants’. .
Wales’ leading active tourism organizations are backing a 20mph limit on residential roads, citing Rospa research which claims pedestrians are 40% less likely to die when hit by a car traveling at 20mph hour, compared to one traveling at 30 miles per hour.
Living Streets said there was “typically an average drop in casualties of at least 20%” with a 20mph speed limit compared to 30mph as Sustrans Cymru said they wanted “communities built for safety, and not for speed’.
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Wales’ 20mph pilot zones include areas of Monmouthshire, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Vale of Glamorgan, Pembrokeshire, Neath Port Talbot as well as Flintshire
Both Labor and Plaid Cymru, who have a co-operation agreement in the Welsh parliament, support the introduction of 20mph across the country and as they hold almost three-quarters of the 60 seats in the Senedd, Tuesday’s motion is expected to be passed.
“We are united in our belief that this change will reduce road collisions and their severity, while creating more opportunities for walking and cycling in communities,” said Delyth Jewell, Plaid’s transport spokesperson.
“A 20mph speed limit in built-up areas will allow us to work towards providing convenient, safe pedestrian access to where people need to go.”
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