Consultation launched on introduction of 20mph speed limit

Carmarthenshire Council has launched a public consultation on the Welsh Government’s plans to introduce a default 20mph speed limit on street lit roads across Wales from September this year.

Wales is set to become one of the first countries in the world, and the first nation in the UK, to introduce legislation to have a default 20mph speed limit on roads where cars mix with pedestrians and cyclists.

Welsh ministers say the move will help to save lives, develop safer communities, improve quality of life and encourage more people to ride a bike or use public transport.

The new legislation will not apply a blanket speed limit on all roads, it will simply make the default limit 20mph, leaving local authorities to engage with the local community to decide which roads should remain at 30mph.

Exceptions

The County Council has assessed all roads within Carmarthenshire to map the impacts of the legislation and to identify these exceptions. 

Cllr Edward Thomas, the council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: ‘We, as a Local Authority, are implementing the Welsh Government’s legislation to set a speed limit of 20mph on most of our restricted roads.

The key aim of the 20mph speed limit is to improve road safety, particularly for vulnerable road users, and encourage more walking and cycling.

“The change in legislation will require a fundamental change in driver behaviour to achieve its goals and we will be working closely with the Welsh Government to educate the public of the changes that are afoot.”

The Welsh Conservatives strongly oppose the plans for the introduction of the lower speed limit, describing them as “frankly ludicrous”.

Shadow Minister for Transport, Natasha Ashgar MS, has also criticised the cost of implementing the change.

Currently, just 2.5% of Welsh roads have a speed limit of 20mph, but from next year this is expected to increase to approximately 35%.

Further details on the changes in Carmarthenshire can be viewed here….