Support our Nation today - please donate here
News

Possible changes to 20mph limits in Welsh county

28 Apr 2025 4 minute read
20mph sign in Carmarthenshire – Image: Ted Peskett

Richard Youle Local democracy reporter

Eleven roads – or sections of them – in a Welsh local authority could revert from 20mph to 30mph.

A consultation will take place on the proposed changes to the A and B roads before further decisions are made.

Carmarthenshire Council officers will also carry out a review of C class and unclassified roads in the county.

The Welsh Government’s default 20mph speed limit on restricted roads was introduced in September 2023.

It was unpopular in many quarters, but a report before the council’s cabinet said the number of road collisions on 20mph roads in Wales fell by 26% in the first full year after it was introduced compared to the previous 12-month period.

Listening 

In April last year the Welsh Government asked councils to collect feedback from the public as part of a so-called listening programme and to see if some raods could revert to a 30mph limit.

There were 1,604 submissions from people and groups in Carmarthenshire, including:

– 121 calling for all roads to revert to 30mph
– 259 calling for all roads to revert to 30mph except those outside schools and hospitals
– 264 calling for the 20mph limit to remain in place or requesting more speed limits to drop down to 20mph.

Highways officers went on to review 150 sections of A and B roads against set criteria, with only 15 of them meeting it. Then, following a detailed assessment, four of the 15 were deemed inappropriate for a 30mph limit.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting on April 28, Cllr Alun Lenny said the 20mph limit had been “hugely controversial” and that it was sensible of ministers to look again at the matter and also fund any changes implemented by councils.

Evidence

He added, however, that the number of people killed or seriously injured had fallen on 20mph roads to the lowest levels since records began and that the evidence showed motorists were driving more slowly on them than before.

Cllr Lenny criticised the “reckless and impatient minority who care little for road safety”, such as the person who he said overtook him on a 20mph road close to a school last week.

“Just because someone does not agree with a law does not give them the right to break that law,” he said.

The consultation on the proposed changes to the 11 roads will include letters to householders directly affected and feedback from bus operators, haulage groups and the emergency services.

If council chiefs decide to press ahead with the changes, draft traffic regulations order will be published providing a further chance for people to object. At the end of this process the 20mph limit on the 11 roads would either go back to 30mph or remain as it is.

Highways officers will also review “buffer” speed limits on approaches to 20mph roads or sections thereof. The cabinet report said this could potentially result in fewer buffer speed limit changes and a more consistent speed limit regime.

The 11 roads which may revert in full or in part to a 30mph limit are:

– A484 Cwmdwyfran (in full)
– A484 Pentre-Morgan (in full)
– A484 Pentrecagal (in full)
– B4297 Heol Y Bwlch, Bynea (in part – for a length of 600m from its junction with Yspitty Road to its junction with Y Gerddi)
– B4333 Hermon (in part – on southern approach to the village only)
– B4312 Llangain (in part – on both approaches to the village)
– B4312 Monument Hill, Carmarthen (in full)
– B4308 Carmarthen Road, Kidwelly (in part – on the southern approach to the town for a distance of approximately 246m)
– B4556 New Link Road, Penygroes (in full)
– B4306 Heol Y Parc, Hendy (in part – from Llannon direction up to its junction with Clos Glyn Dwr)
– B4337 Llanybydder (in part – for a distance of 150m on the eastern approach into Llanybydder from Ty Mawr).

The four roads assessed for consideration but deemed inappropriate to go back to 30mph were:

– A4242 Coracle Way, Carmarthen
– B4309 Cynheidre
– B4310 Nantyffin
– B4303 Dafen Road, Dafen


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.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

11 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Llyn
Llyn
23 days ago

The fact that Carmarthenshire Council received 121 calls “for all roads to revert to 30mph” shows that there are many out there who want to drive faster regardless of whether a road goes past schools, hospitals, old people’s homes, etc. Many opposed to 20mph don’t give a damn about anyone but themselves.

Jeff
Jeff
23 days ago
Reply to  Llyn

Absolutely.
Many opposed to the limit couldn’t be bothered to turn up at the Senedd (20 or so?) when a far smaller petition turn out had a massive showing for farmers. There in lies the grift of interference.

Brian Coman
Brian Coman
23 days ago
Reply to  Llyn

Some people who live in rural Wales have no respect with speed in narrow country roads and other areas.Ironically you can legal drive at 60mph in these dangerous areas while you pass villages where you never see anybody out and about !

G Phillips
G Phillips
22 days ago
Reply to  Llyn

That conversation is load rubish ..ime all for safetey , not just schools . But sum roads at 20 wer theres no junction hasards , schools .or any means of hasardsshud never have been .put into 20 bracket.it just shows sum councils never really lookt into them,no doubt sum half educated younger staff not got a qlue .maybe never even seen or used those sections of roads . Just playin with they fones tellin workmen bob,bill,or or sum otherworkman stik a 20 sign on bla,bla,bla,road . Ime 1 of luky old 1ns as proffessional drivers .of50 years of driving on… Read more »

Badger
Badger
23 days ago

I wish these articles would state the total number of restricted roads in each council area. I assume it’s thousands so a handful of reversions makes a mockery of those who argue that every restricted road should’ve been individually reviewed as a candidate to drop to twenty if the result of that long and expensive process would’ve been all of them dropping to twenty except 11.

Last edited 23 days ago by Badger
Simon
Simon
23 days ago

It’s very simple give the public a vote? What are you frightened of? Basically it’s the implementation of bad law that has caused all this publicity. It was an ill conceived law which was badly implemented and as such it has caused great animosity and questioning of our political system. When a government acts against the wishes of a large proportion of its electorate these issues arise. And it is of no evidential value to print anedotal evidence which is usually uncoroborated.

Hal
Hal
23 days ago
Reply to  Simon

You had a vote in 2021.

>> The 20mph speed limit would be made the default in residential areas <<

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-56676066

Jeff
Jeff
23 days ago
Reply to  Simon

We voted. I read the manifesto usually because I want to see what is propose. It is not a cast iron they will get it done but when it is listed, should come as no surprise.

What I see the usual suspects say they will bin it if they win, I immediately see people wanting to take away my safety and cost millions day one.

Ian Papworth
Ian Papworth
23 days ago

I suspect that the change back is being pushed by a politically motivated organised minority. They’ll try and keep this in the news until the Senedd election as a wedge issue. 20 mph is being implemented across the UK in many areas, do we really want to go backwards when it’s already been proved to work

Name
Name
22 days ago

Understand the reason behind it but we all know this was a joke

Baxter
Baxter
22 days ago
Reply to  Name

“We” being you and that friendly person you chat to in the mirror every morning?

Our Supporters

All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018.