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Council receives petition against 20mph speed limit from residents who claim it will ‘increase dangers’

02 May 2023 3 minute read
20mph sign

Bruce Sinclair – Local Democracy Reporter

While many 30mph zones are expected to drop to 20 in Wales later this year, senior Ceredigion councillors have received a petition calling for a rural 30 zone to remain in place on safety and pollution grounds.

The Welsh Government passed legislation last July which will see the speed limit on residential, built-up streets reduced from 30mph to 20 throughout Wales. This will come into force in September this year.

There are no roads with restricted status in Ceredigion; the change is being introduced through the Traffic Regulation Order process.

This means that the council needs to conduct formal consultation with the public on all proposed new speed limit arrangements.

Across Ceredigion, approximately 370 locations will be proposed for changes.

Today’s (May 2) meeting of Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet received a petition calling for the 30mph zone to remain at the rural hamlet of Stags Head, half-way between Llangeitho and Tregaron.

The 19-strong petition, in which all personal details were redacted, objected to the “proposed imposition of 20mph speed limit at Stags Head No. 69.1 – B4578 & B4343 intersection”.

“We, the undersigned, object to the above proposal on the following grounds: the proposal is not necessary because the roads involved have a very low accident rate, the roads have a very low volume of traffic.”

Danger

The petition said speed limit reduction could actually increase dangers.

“The proposed 20mph limit is not desirable because: it will greatly increase noise and air pollution as the vehicles will be in a low gear especially ascending the three gradients to Stags Head crossroads; drivers will pay more attention to the finer detail of their speedometers at the expense of paying attention to the road ahead; the very slow pace of vehicles could actually encourage children to play in the road.”

The council itself also came in for criticism in the petition.

“The 20mph limit proposals across the country are a gross waste of public money which should be spent maintaining the road surfaces properly, keeping road drains clear and clearing debris from the sides of the highway.

“All these are essential to primary road safety but are deliberately ignored by Ceredigion Highways Department in the ongoing negligence.”

At the Cabinet meeting, members heard the petition would be considered as part of the wider 20mph consultation, Council Leader Bryan Davies musing: “It’s quite unique, the consultation is being held at the same time as the subject.”

Cabinet members followed a recommendation to note receipt of the petition.

Welsh Government says the 20mph default speed limit is expected to result in 40 per cent fewer road collisions, save six to 10 lives every year and avoid 1,200- 2,000 people being injured every year.


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Llyn
Llyn
10 months ago

‘Common sense’? A petition which conjures up a ludicrous vision of accidents and deaths caused by drivers spellbound by their speedometers ploughing into frollicking children who have thrown caution to the wind and decided it’s safe to play on the road?

Philip Davies
Philip Davies
10 months ago
Reply to  Llyn

Perhaps I shouldn’t still be surprised at just how uncommon what used to be known as ‘common sense’ actually is. At a steady 20 mph, and probably often less, and with the prospect of the ever fewer private vehicles we are being ‘encouraged’ to adopt, I wouldn’t even be surprised to see realised your rustic dream of village dogs once more sleeping in the road, while children are encouraged to run free while smiling mothers watch their little ones playing at traditional pastimes where once the carriage-wheels of the wealthy threatened instant injury and death, or rode them down under… Read more »

Malcolm Jones
Malcolm Jones
10 months ago

I’ve noticed that since they put the speed limit on part’s of the M4 motorway there seems to be crashes on it every few days people trying to get on the motorway when the road is full and people can’t pull to the right to let people on to the motorway and it’s causing collisions j

Ap Kenneth
Ap Kenneth
10 months ago

Find it odd that you praise this as “common sense” following the previous article where a girl was killed on a road.We can all slow down a bit, what would it cost you at this junction, a few seconds, and one road has to give way anyway.

Philip Davies
Philip Davies
10 months ago
Reply to  Ap Kenneth

‘Carbon kills!’ – ‘Zero carbon!!’ ‘Cars Kill!’ – ‘Zero cars!!’ ‘People kill!’ – ‘Zero people . . . (Oh. Wait a minute . . .).

Scampi Fries
Scampi Fries
10 months ago

I really like the idea of 20mph in residential areas, my car has a cruise control that will set the speed, so no need to take my eyes off the road.
Also this about the speed that I usually cycle at, so far, no collisions – except for the cars travelling at 30mph that have hit me.

Philip Davies
Philip Davies
10 months ago
Reply to  Scampi Fries

‘On yer bike!’

Mike
Mike
10 months ago
Reply to  Scampi Fries

Only a few cars have cruise control.

Malcolm Jones
Malcolm Jones
10 months ago
Reply to  Scampi Fries

Not everyone has Cruse control

Derek
Derek
10 months ago

Not driving to the road is what causes accidents. I don’t have a problem with 20 limits, apart from that if you go down a gear the sweet spot’s generaly an indicated 25 or so, so a real 22-ish. It gives slow folks much more time to cross the road. What then happens is that you accumulate a tail of impatient Philips close behind, enraged at the curbing of their right to do 30 (or whatever). In the van, this isn’t an issue. If I’m on the motorbike, however, it’s dangerous for me as they don’t have the time to… Read more »

Philip Davies
Philip Davies
10 months ago
Reply to  Derek

That’s really a bit of a libel, Derek. But I’ll forgive you because I’m a patient chap. I never tailgate in any circumstances. It is just stupid and dangerous. Nor am I a speed freak, in any case. Nonetheless, I still believe that 20 mph is unrealistic, will spread more pollution from unburnt fuel, and is moreover the wrong balance between safety and traffic flow which, as any professional highway engineer will tell you, only results in a creeping traffic jam. While I myself will try to keep a safe distance from the car in front, I can promise you… Read more »

Philip Davies
Philip Davies
10 months ago
Reply to  Derek

That’s a bit of a libel, Derek. But you can read the rest of what I want to say to you if and when the Editorial algorithm allows you to . . . Don’t worry! it’s all quite polite and decent.

Philip Davies
Philip Davies
10 months ago
Reply to  Derek

That’s really a bit of a libel, Derek. You can read the rest of what I want to say to you if and when NT deems it suitable for you to see. But don’t worry: It is all polite and decent, as always.

Philip Davies
Philip Davies
10 months ago
Reply to  Philip Davies

That’s really a bit of a libel, Derek. But I’ll forgive you because I’m a patient chap. I never tailgate in any circumstances. It is just stupid and dangerous. Nor am I a speed freak, in any case. Nonetheless, I still believe that 20 mph is unrealistic, will spread more pollution from unburnt fuel, and is moreover the wrong balance between safety and traffic flow which, as any professional highway engineer will tell you, only results in a creeping traffic jam. While I myself will try to keep a safe distance from the car in front, I can promise you… Read more »

Karl
Karl
10 months ago

Common sense is a stupid phrase, Covid taught us that. The Nitrogen dioxide levels on my street and cars speeding at up to 60mph on what was a 30mph, proves selfish and no sense. 20mph speeds has created a nicer place to live and increased pedestrian safety. You are just a fool who backs quicker death, shameful.

Blinedig
Blinedig
10 months ago
Reply to  Karl

I know several places where heavy traffic speeds through residential areas at 60mph (double the 30 limit). With the new rules, they might now slow down to 40. Even that would be an improvement.

Philip Davies
Philip Davies
10 months ago
Reply to  Karl

Common sense went out the window with panic over Covid, so ‘case proven’ that, where any bureaucratic decision is imposed, much deleterious nonsense will be spoken and legislated. While the piously ideal perfect vision of an orderly parade of zen-like drivers as restrained as the late Auntie May’s funeral cortege is poetry in slow-motion to Net Zero zealots, the likely tailbacks that will build up on the way into towns and villages will be the source of polluting excess unburnt fuel, with much aggressive revving and rushing when the tension of a boring hold-up is even briefly released and able… Read more »

Last edited 10 months ago by Philip Davies
P W Vaughan
P W Vaughan
10 months ago

This is tippical of the Welsh Government. They could not organise “A p**s up in a Brewery”. That saying is ment for the Welsh Senate, as they call it. Sounds important, to waist tax payers money. I’ve been involved in the motor industry since I was 16yrs old I’m now coming up to 76yrs. So don’t try and Brain wash me with your emissions solutions, because you are talking total rubbish. Also when you are driving at 20mph you can’t concentrate the same. You seem to have all the time in the world, You will talk and look at your… Read more »

Car Delenda Est
Car Delenda Est
10 months ago

“the very slow pace of vehicles could actually encourage children to play in the road.”

Heaven forbid we go back to children being able to go outside…

Philip Davies
Philip Davies
10 months ago

Look: Most children can get into safe open spaces today without playing in the middle of busy streets as if we all still lived in back-to-back slums with only the occasional horse-and-cart ambling through! Honestly! The hoary ‘Good old days’ plea! The righteous humbug and hyperbole of the deluded Left is enough to provoke some stinging hyperbole back from even the most calm and sensible person.

James david Wood
James david Wood
10 months ago

I personally can’t wait for the 20 mph to come in force in September in Caerwys people don’t recognise 30 mph most cars drive through here at 40 /60 mph when someone gets hurt or killed its to late so think about people crossing the road

Sikejsudjek
Sikejsudjek
10 months ago

The real question is how will it be enforced? Will the police book us at 22mph? If so some people will be doing 15mph, whilst you’ll get others trying to do 40mph.Then you’ll get accidents.

Vlad
Vlad
10 months ago
Reply to  Sikejsudjek

There’s going to be a bonanza of fines for 23mph very soon – buy shares… Cameras/fines/prosecutions/surveillance 24/7 – the future is bright

Phil
Phil
10 months ago

Just. when you think that the jokers in the Senedd couldn’t come up with any more nonsense they turn around and.produce this gem!
20mph! I ask you! Why not go the whole hog and ban vehIcles (other than their beloved pushbikes) altogether?
(Obviously this wouldn’t apply to ministerial cars, even though I’d love to see Mr Drakeford and his cohorts cycle from Cardiff Bay to say, Wrexham, on urgent business).

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