One year on: Transport Secretary sets out next steps on 20mph
Ahead of the anniversary of the introduction of the 20mph default speed limit in Wales, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, has set out the next steps.
Earlier this year, the Cabinet Secretary announced a three phase-plan on 20mph, including a National Listening Programme over the summer, which encouraged people to get involved and have their say. Welsh Government published revised guidance for highway authorities in July.
The first two phases of the plan are complete. Local authorities are now in the process of reviewing feedback from people, business, and communities across Wales to ensure 20mph is targeted on the right roads.
A number of councils are now starting to set out the final stage of the plan by publishing information on the amount of feedback received and the next steps.
Once their review is complete, if local authorities decide to change the speed limit on an individual road, a statutory Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) process will commence – providing a further opportunity for engagement with local people.
Encouraging signs
The latest statistics provide encouraging signs that things are moving in the right direction, with a fall in collisions and a reduction in speeds.
Speaking ahead of the one-year anniversary, Ken Skates said: “I wanted to give people a voice on 20mph in their area and I am grateful to everyone who has shared feedback with their local council over the past few months.
“I want to build from the broad consensus that 20mph is right where people live, work and play – this is about getting the right speeds on the right roads.
“I want to pay tribute to our partners in local government. I’m pleased that local authorities are starting to move into the final stages of the plan. This will move at different paces in different places, according to local circumstances and the amount of feedback received.”
Chair of the Welsh Local Government Association, Cllr Andrew Morgan added: “Local authorities welcome the further funding and support offered by the Welsh Government to get the right speeds on the right roads but are faced with challenging decisions.
“We will need to carefully balance the benefits and disbenefits of raising speeds. Safety of all road users will be at the heart of the decisions we take.”
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The National Listening Programme with the local authorities was flawed as it only recorded objections to an existing speed limit (20, 30, etc) and there was no way of registering support for maintaining same limits.
The placating the masses programme won’t result in any measurable change so if you’re one of the 1 in 500 that actually supports this farce you can rest assured you’ll get your way, at least untill 2026.
Or we could simply leave all 20 limits in place, but stop enforcing them. Then everyone’s happy. Politicians still get to pat themselves on the back for “making history”; drivers can be rebels and ignore the limit, or be good little children and obey it (whatever makes you feel good); GoSafe can drive their vans to the beach each day. No need for an official statement if that’s too embarrassing; a nudge and a wink would be enough. What’s not to like?
Absolute crap. There’s been no benefit because nobody is adhering to the limit. They just can’t admit they wasted all that money for nothing.
Not true, most people attempt to keep to the new limits. Accidents are down. The street environment off much nicer for children and the elderly.
And the number of accidents on faster roads has increased due to increase in numbers trying to bypass the slower roads and other people trying to make up the time lost due to having to drive at 20mph. The Welsh Government never managed the 30mph limit on trunk roads. Had they done so they might not have try to reduce every rad that wasn’t 40mph+ to 20mph.
12 months of failing to listen to the people of Wales when the message couldn’t be clearer.
Yet another failure to add to their undemocratic and abysmal 25 years in power.
Another 12 months of lies and underhand tactics, undermining our economy and forcing us into a tyrannical nanny state.
Wales will always be stuck in the slow lane and without a voice until we get Labour out of power.
The people making the fuss are a minority, they seem prominent because they make a lot of noise.
A larger majority voted against the 20mph speed limit than voted for Welsh Labour at the last Assembly elections
What a waste of more money. Tinkering around the edges if a failed pet project to make labour/Wales department feel like heroes in a nanny state, then stamping their foot on the population, roll on 2026.
“Nanny state” is a term used to manipulate and trigger people into supporting a low regulation environment which in fact only benefits the elite and wealthy.
It will be interesting to see where this goes. I asked for one to be lifted on a particular stretch. Rest I am happy with.
I like the lower limit. I drove through central London a few weeks ago, where 20 is the norm, it’s great, less stressful, everyone has time to think.
And the pollution from logjams of vehicles where the engines are not operating efficiently is significant
I’d like to sound a note of caution about declaring 20mph a success based on a few months of data. In 1930, Transport Minister Herbert Morrison abolished all speed limits (imagine a Labour politician doing that today!), and for two years, the number of accidents actually fell. Unfortunately the fall then reversed itself and casualties started to rise rapidly. At present, the numbers are mixed: we have falls in collisions and minor injuries, but small increases in deaths and serious injuries across the whole road network – though it’s far too early to tell if that’s down to driver frustration… Read more »
I’m sick of overtaking people doing 20mph where it’s not needed. I alter my speed according to the different situations. There are some places like town centres, schools etc where yes they warrant a 20mph limit. Welsh government wasted millions and are afraid to admit it. They cut teachers in schools tho. Go labour 🤦