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Drivers warned of tough penalties for breaking new 20 mph speed limit

27 Jun 2023 4 minute read
North Wales Police Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman.

Richard Evans, local democracy reporter

North Wales Police’s highest ranking officer has warned that drivers caught speeding over 30 mph in new 20 mph zones could face tough penalties.

But Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman admitted that a period of “grace and education” would be needed to support people and communities through what she described as a “significant” change in road rules.

Speaking at the North Wales Police and Crime Panel meeting at Bodlondeb, Conwy, Chief Constable Blakeman took questions from members of the panel where she explained the police’s planned approach once the law changes.

The Welsh Government is set to introduce a new default 20-mph speed limit on 30-mph roads.

It is hoped the move will reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries, particularly in areas with large numbers of pedestrians and cyclists.

The change is set to come in on September 17, unless exceptions are made locally.

It is hoped the move will reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries, particularly in areas with large numbers of pedestrians and cyclists.

Tourists

Cllr Nigel Williams asked how the chief constable was going to police the new 20-mph law, raising the issue of tourists travelling across the border.

“So we have the 20-mph areas that are to be designated by local authorities,” said the chief constable.

“So that will be areas that are identified and deemed to be necessary to move from a 20 to a 30 (mph), and my approach is going to be one of deploying my resources in the areas of the highest harm. So that’s where I want to see our physical policing assets being placed.

“So if it’s an area where we’ve had people killed or serious injuries on a road where a 30 becomes a 20, then I’ll be interested in looking at those areas.

“If it’s that somebody is travelling through that area, and we’ve set some identified limits in relation to it – say for instance it is under 25 miles an hour – we will be looking at words of advice.

“If it’s up to 30 miles an hour, we will be looking at a there-and-then education programme working with Go Safe, Welsh Government, and with my officers to identify who is going to deliver that. Also, as part of that, we are looking at the Fire Service being part of the education programme as well.”

But she warned: “If it’s (they are travelling) over 30 (mph in a 20-mph zone), that position becomes untenable in relation to speeding.

“What I would say is one of the areas that I’m most concerned about at the moment are those coming onto our roads and losing their life, finding themselves in a position where they are way in excess of the speed limit or are, for instance, our motorcyclists coming into the area.

“So that’s where I want to prioritise my resources and always will be where the highest harm is that I can identify. That doesn’t mean we will be ignoring the 20 miles an hour (speed limit), but I want to see the evidence-based (approach) in relation to where I prioritise resources across there.”

Road design

The chief constable then went on to explain that road designs would eventually make it more difficult in some residential areas to travel over 20 mph – presumably referring to measures such as speed bumps.

She added: “I can’t imagine anybody being against 20 miles an hour (speed limit) outside schools or areas where people are particularly vulnerable, but there is a degree of education and grace that needs to go alongside that at this time when things are very difficult in our communities: the cost-of-living crisis, and (if for instance) people are finding themselves with additional fines and points on their licence.

“I want to take a very cautious approach with our communities in order to educate properly and to be able to support people through this quite significant change.”


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Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago

At least she sees the difficulty we will have in resetting our own bio-computer to change the life-long pressure setting of the right foot…

How long before one of the many roadside towers, poles and boxes talks to one of the car’s onboard computers and it becomes impossible to manually control the speed of the car ?

Last edited 1 year ago by Mab Meirion
hdavies15
hdavies15
1 year ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

Sooner than you think. Of course they may use car pricing and tax as a way of driving us plebs away from private motoring altogether. Just hope you have a decent array of public transport options in your parish. Ours are poor and I’m not counting on likes of Waters to make them any better.

Alwyn Evans
Alwyn Evans
1 year ago

I wish Cardiff Council would work with South Wales Police to enforce the 20 mph speed limit in place on Gabalfa Roundabout. At the moment you take your life in your hands when you try to get on to the roundabout, because you know that at least half the cars coming around will exceed the speed limit, some of them at speeds in excess of 40 mph. If you try to keep to the limit yourself on the roundabout you’re tailgated, flashed, or blasted at with the horn by many other drivers. Follow the North Wales Police example, please! 20… Read more »

Karl
Karl
1 year ago
Reply to  Alwyn Evans

Same in Pontypridd, but add in pavement driving at speed.But RCT council see the C for car and hate people.

Padi Phillips
Padi Phillips
1 year ago
Reply to  Karl

The street I live on just outside central Cardiff is similar. It’s a 20mph zone, but is also a ‘rat run’ and despite speed bumps, (that don’t stretch across the road, and slowed traffic down for all of a day after they were installed) I often see cars travelling at 30mph or more.

These rules are absolutely pointless unless enforced. Try speeding on Circle Way in Llanedeyrn and you’ll soon receive a speeding ticket, as there are speed cameras there. Some drivers complain about speed cameras, but it’s actually quite simple: don’t speed and you won’t get a ticket!

WIlliamsG
WIlliamsG
1 year ago

I think we should make the speed limits 5mph, I mean 20mph come on, how unsafe is that?

James William Soares Jones
Reply to  WIlliamsG

Mandatory flag-person to precede each motor vehicle, with LED flashing strobes and HiViz socks to really catch the attention of others who dare to treat the motorways like a thoroughfare.

Karl
Karl
1 year ago

Now need South Wales police to step up. Overtook by a chelsea tractor doing at least 50mph on a 20mph road. While other drive down the pavements. Driving needs a kick up the bum. The No2 lelevs are dangerous and so is the safe use of the pavements in my street

Ena
Ena
1 year ago

Wonderful! Roads are public highways & somehow pedestrians, horse riders, cyclists, and others, have been pushed out and resented by us; when WE are behind the wheel. Anyone not in a powered vehicle is now expected to defer to the power and speed of cars and lorries. People have disappeared from our roads. Roads evolved to connect people to important location. They used to be places where you met, greeted, passed the time of day shared news and socialised with other road users. We did kindnesses, like offering lifts & companionship to each other. Now they are the preserve of… Read more »

WilliamsG
WilliamsG
1 year ago

Your car engine’s life it determined by the amount of revolutions it does in it’s lifetime. If you spend most of your life in 6th gear on a motorway you can probably get 200k miles out of your engine. A town driver who drives mostly in 4th gear, probably 140k miles. Once the 20mph limit is enforced and everyone is actually driving around at 15mph you will be driving mostly in 2nd gear so perhaps 100kmiles per engine ? Time will tell. I am not actually against enforced 20mph limits where they are needed but the blanket imposition is a… Read more »

Padi Phillips
Padi Phillips
1 year ago
Reply to  WilliamsG

Pretty soon it won’t matter as all new cars will probably be electric, and most of those don’t have gears as electric motors adapt to the load.

hdavies15
hdavies15
1 year ago
Reply to  Padi Phillips

Battery life won’t be so impressive.

Philip Davies
Philip Davies
1 year ago

This has all the makings of a disastrous omnishambles.

Dr Kevin E Richards
Dr Kevin E Richards
1 year ago

Another ‘box ticker’ at the helm…Have the police services learned nothing from the debacle that was Cressida Dick and her ruination of ‘the Met’ and as a consequence, a lawless London.
Speed is not the most significant cause of RTC’s….Driver behaviour is.
Police services, along with other agencies should tackle this problem and stop! making excuses for poor police performance.
Stop with the left wing, controlling agenda and tackle the REAL! problem.
I challenge the Chief Officer of Command to reply to my comment and create a dialogue, debate and forum, on this issue.

Denm
Denm
1 year ago

Whats the easiest to catch a car driver or a criminal, car drivers pay fines but criminals give sob stories and get a slapped wrist so who do the police target.

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