Councillors propose 20mph speed limit exemptions after public consultations
Plaid Cymru councillors in Wrexham have submitted a number of key roads for exemption from the 20mph speed limit.
The move came following a consultation with local residents in their wards and more widely throughout the borough.
The original proposals to change all current 30mph speed limits to 20mph prior to the introduction of the new default speed limit, saw just nine roads exempted throughout the county borough.
Arterial routes
Cllr Carrie Harper said: “We’re in favour of reducing speeds to 20mph on residential streets and outside schools, medical centres and care homes so Plaid Cymru in Wrecsam has no problem with the intention of the policy. However, we made it clear before the scheme was introduced that we believed key arterial routes in and around Wrexham should be among the exemptions.
“Wrexham Council has only obtained 10 exemptions to the 20mph in comparison with Swansea that has more than 150. After consulting with our nine councillors and with the wider public, we’ve received many calls for key arterial routes to be exempted and we support the council looking at those seven roads on the grounds that they would not compromise pedestrian safety.
“There are others proposed by the general public that we have put forward to officers as well, as it’s important that there is maximum engagement with residents from the council’s perspective.
“We’ll wait to hear back from the council on whether all or any of the proposals we’ve put forward are exempted.”
The roads the Plaid Cymru group has put forward for exemption from the 20mph limit and to be returned to 30mph are:
Mold Rd (B&Q roundabout to The Turf)
A541 Mold Rd, Gwersyllt
Chester Rd (from A483 to inner ring road)
Holt Rd (from Greyhound to Tesco roundabout)
Ruthin Rd (from A483 to Morrisons junction)
Kingsmill Rd (from Kingsmill pub to Green Dragon lights)
Cefn Rd (from 100m beyond Ysgol Morgan Llwyd to junction with Abenbury Rd)
There are also additional roads that have been proposed for exemption by local residents.
Earlier this month, the leader of Wrexham council described the introduction of the new speed limit as “madness” and said that money spent on it could have been used to safeguard local services.
Cllr Mark Pritchard (Ind) said: “I think it’s madness what they’re doing at this moment in time, spending millions of pounds on 20mph.
“It’s not the right time to do it, they should stop immediately and start funding local authorities appropriately because it’s all about choice.”
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So when is the right time?
Not now and certainly never in this madly anti-motorist way. Do pay attention.
Most of a Local Authority’s funding comes directly from UK Government, how are the WG going to increase that? Are we to sit about hoping for a GE maybe next year, maybe the next, waiting for UK Labour to get round to reforming the voting system, wait for them to nationalise utilities & invest in our public transport network? We could be still sitting about waiting for another 13 years. Independence, or the threat of it is looking increasingly like the better option.
Independence! Who will govern Wales then? Ah! Welsh Labour, the very pathetically ineptitude governance we’ve had for nearly 3 decades.
Some of these suggestions seem to forget about schools – Ysgol Clwedog, or parades of shops such as Garden Village on the Chester Rd or the students of Glyndwr on the Mold Road or people trying to cross the roundabout on the Mold Road from Berse Rd across Mold Rd and then Plas Coch Lane. Going at 30mph from the B&Q roundabout to the Turf will save a driver a few seconds whereas congestion around Grosvenor Rd can take up minutes. Mold Rd (B&Q roundabout to The Turf) A541 Mold Rd, Gwersyllt Chester Rd (from A483 to inner ring road)… Read more »
I’m puzzled. Wrexham Council is considering even more exemptions to the 20mph roads? But how can this happen? The Conservative Party and their client media tell us we have a 20mph blanket limit. Meaning all once 30mph become 20mph with no exceptions. Are the Conservative Party knowingly lying?
There has never been blanket 20mph limits in Wales,, there has only been 20mph limit where there was a previously 30mph limit, but with some exemptions, and the exemptions are at the discretion of local councils, so yes the Conservatives are lying
20 is far too many, drop it to 10 LIEbour mp’s in Wales. Liebour won’t listen to the public opinion so use your votes wisely to remove them.