New road safety initiative introduced in north and mid Wales

A pioneering new road safety initiative that is designed to make motorcycling safer has been introduced in north and mid Wales.

Dubbed PRIMEs (Perceptual Rider Information for Maximizing Expertise and Enjoyment) the new road markings and signage aims to help motorcyclists make safer decisions when approaching and negotiating bends.

Following a highly successful trial in Scotland — where over 32,000 motorcyclist journeys were analyzed across 22 sites — the Welsh Government, in partnership with the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent (NMWTRA), has rolled out PRIME markings at four key sites in north and mid Wales.

These are:

A487 Pantperthog, Gwynedd
A5 Coed Bwlch, Rhysgog, Llangollen.
A483 North of Llanbadarn Fynydd
A483 Glascoed Hall, South of Newtown.

The Welsh Government says that evidence shows that PRIMEs, which use subtle and well-placed visual cues, have a measurable and positive impact on rider behaviour.

This includes significant reductions in speed, improved road positioning on approach and at the apex of bends and safer braking behaviour.

Trial

Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates said: “We are delighted to be trialling this new road safety initiative for the first time in Wales.

“Evidence shows that motorcyclists are amongst the most vulnerable road users, especially on roads with sharp bends. PRIME is an effective way to help reduce risks and support riders to make safer choices on the road, so it was right thing to do.”

The initiative is strongly supported by North Wales Police and Dyfed Powys Police who have long worked to reduce motorcycle collisions across their force area.

Inspector of Specialist Operations at Dyfed-Powys Police, Dawn Fencott-Price said: “We welcome the trial of this innovative initiative to improve motorcyclist safety on our roads. During 2024 there were twenty-five collisions resulting in one or more people killed – an increase of 66% on 2023.

“This is a low-cost intervention which has been proven to significantly improve road safety for riders when used in the right road conditions. One death on our roads is one too many – and reducing the number of motorcyclists who are killed or seriously injured on our roads is our priority.”

Welsh ministers say this first Welsh trial marks a major milestone in adopting data-driven, cost-effective safety improvements for vulnerable road users.

If successful, PRIME markings could be expanded across the wider Welsh road network.