Majority of responses to consultation oppose introduction of 20mph speed limit
Bruce Sinclair, local democracy reporter
Nearly three-quarters of responses to a Ceredigion consultation on Welsh Government speed limit reductions were against the plans.
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 this September.
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.
In Ceredigion, the council conducted formal a consultation with the public in April on all proposed new speed limit arrangements.
That saw 76 items of correspondence received, including 54 objections – just over 70 per cent of all responses – a report for members ahead of the June meeting of Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet says.
The rest were either expressions of support or requests that are outside the scope of this scheme, such as lowering existing 40mph limits at settlements.
Emotive comments
There were general objections to the 20mph limits, as well as specific areas highlighted, including Adpar, Bow Street, Borth, Dihewyd, Drefach, Llechryd, Pennant, Penparc, and Stags Head.
Stags Head, half-way between Llangeitho and Tregaron, was the subject of petition presented to the May meeting of Cabinet.
There were many emotive comments in the objections: “I feel that this is a process of using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. The Welsh Government have approached this in a dictatorial style, basically, ‘you’re having it, tough’.”
Another warned: “I believe anger and frustration will set in as September progresses and as drivers realise just how much it will alter the way we have to drive. … for no good reason.”
Another felt motoring technology had made the speed reduction unnecessary.
“Car technology is safer than ever. Brake technology is better than ever. And you want to simply lower the speed that people travel at. Ridiculous backward thinking rubbish!”
Rural business was also raised as a concern: “Ceredigion needs to stand against Welsh Government policies that are designed to have an adverse effect on our rural communities and increase the cost of rural businesses.”
The changes were also described as a ‘cash cow’: “Far from being in the interests of the public, it would appear to be a cash cow activity to obtain money derived from the inevitable motor speed fines these changes will bring with any such monies going directly to Cardiff and not for the benefit of county councils.”
Cabinet members, meeting on June 6, will be asked to authorise recommended replies to public consultation responses and requests for additional changes received, and to proceed with implementation of changes being introduced by the Welsh Government.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
So nice to see that the active correspondents of Ceredigion are so committed to Active Travel (NOT). Looking at what the Council is planning they seem to have missed out important areas that should be 20mph zones. This was an opportunity to greatly improves the environment for the very many people who live along Llanbadarn Road (the A44 from the Town to Lanbadarn village). They could also have thought about ‘de-trunking the road (currently the A44) and making the wide straight Boulevard De Sant Briec, built to trunk road standards, the A44. However, getting things to change sensibly in Ceredigion… Read more »
Unfortunately the Senedd think they know better than us right wing idiots …some of us harbour nationalist thoughts like the good old days of 30 mph and red flag warnings….It was us Welsh who voted for Brexit so this is our punishment…The wokes must go along with the YES Cymru club.
Weird reply, as if you wanted to spout, with no actual reading the article.
Have to say that the attacks on the 20 mph speed limit above are difficult to understand and are no more than word salads.
It seems common practice now, not just in Wales but the rest of the UK to roll out these hair brained schemes based on flawed data against the will of the people. Real democracy has long gone. On this subject in particular the government have no real evidence that it will achieve anything positive. In fact the opposite is true. More congestion which equals more emissions, more time checking your speedometer which means paying less attention to the road in front of you. It’s not rocket science. And as for saving 6-10 lives, in excess of 200 people died in… Read more »
NO2 levels have been monitored on my road for more than 20 yrs. So please look at evidence, not spout nonsense. When my road was 30 it was lucky to see cars doing that, creating huge dangers for residents and many accidents of speed stupidity. 20mph has created a better place to live. The complainers ate likely not living on affected roads
I wonder if we start send our excess fuel bills to the 20mph brigade it wi wake them up most cars vans busses lorries ect ect at 20 mph create MORE POLLUTION and USE MORE FUEL at 20 mph
You can’t even spell etc.
I’ll also bet you’re happy to burn excess petrol hurtling along the motorway at 70mph.
20mph is far more suited for these roads. Pedestrians are safer and it’s easier for people to cross the road.
Selfish motorists just want to do what they want and have no care for the people hurt or killed by their actions.
It’s about time harder action was taken to protect the vulnerable from idiots hurtling around inside two tonne steel cars.
All those thinking the 20mph roads is actually about the environment, will be in for a rude awaking. This a United Nations Agenda and is about ensuring that private ownership of vehicles are not affordable to the 99%. It starts with restrictions on fuel, which drives up costs, then narrowing roads yo build up traffic. Next placing speed bumps every few hundred metres which wrecks a car (again fixing a car or replacing car parts will outprice many. Then takeaway manufacturers ability to make petrol and diesel cars by a certain date and hey-ho you’ll be giving a monopoly to… Read more »