City council sets out final list of roads which could revert to 30mph speed limits

Nicholas Thomas, Local Democracy Reporter

A city council is expected to revert 14 roads back to 30mph speed limits following a review, but will keep two with ‘narrow walkways’ used by schoolchildren at the default 20mph limit.

Newport City Council invited residents to nominate roads they believe should have been exempted from the Welsh Government’s decision to lower the nation’s default speed limit to 20mph.

Earlier this year, the council said 16 stretches of road complied with government road safety advice and could revert to 30mph limits.

Members of the public were then invited to offer any objections or comments on those proposals, and the council received a total of 12 representations.

Objectors 

A new report shows that after further consideration of the objectors’ claims, the council has decided two of the original 16 roads will remain at 20mph.

One is a stretch of Caerphilly Road, between Bassaleg and Rhiwderin, which an objector said now “feels safer for pedestrians”.

The council said a lower speed limit was “appropriate” for the road, which has “narrow footways” and is an “established walking route to school”.

The other road to remain at 20mph, following the review, is a section of Usk Road to the east of Caerleon.

An objector also raised concerns the route is “well-used” by schoolchildren and people accessing the village.

In response, the council said people “would feel unsafe about using the established route to walk to school safely” if the speed limit was increased to 30mph along a road which “carries a high pedestrian footfall, including young vulnerable children and the elderly”.

Exemptions

According to the report, “valid” objections were made in relation to other roads, but the council judged those cases met the government’s criteria for exemptions, meaning they may be changed to 30mph speed limits.

These were a part of Bettws Lane, George Street Bridge, a part of Lighthouse Road, Tredegar House Drive, a part of Tregwilym Road, and Wharf Road.

There were no valid objections to council proposals to introduce 30mph speed limits on the other roads – namely a part of Bassaleg Road, Duffryn Drive, Duffryn Way, Frederick Street, Morgan Way, a part of Royal Oak Hill, Wern Industrial Estate, and a part of West Nash Road.

Cllr Rhian Howells, the cabinet member for assets and infrastructure, is expected to approve an officer’s recommendation later this week to proceed with the speed limit changes on the agreed 14 stretches of road.