Two drivers prosecuted for exceeding 20mph limit in first month of enforcement

Emily Price

Two drivers were prosecuted in the first month of the new 20mph default speed limit being enforced, according to official monitoring.

In January, ‘Operation Ugain’ was launched by GoSafe – a coalition of Welsh Government, Police, and Fire and Rescue Services to enforce the new 20mph speed limit.

The road regulation came into force in September last year and saw most roads in Wales that were 30mph switch to 20 – although councils have discretion to impose exemptions.

Last month, Gosafe used speed monitoring equipment to identify people travelling over the speed limit, before police officers stop the vehicle and give the driver a choice between roadside engagement or points and a fine.

While drivers will be offered the free engagement as an alternative, they can refuse, which will then result in prosecution.

Threshold

Almost 10,000 trips in Wales were monitored which found most drivers are adapting well and driving below the enforcement threshold for 20mph.

Only 272 drivers out of the 9,775 checked were stopped for exceeding the 20mph limit in the first month of enforcement.

270 of these people were given the engagement session and only two were prosecuted.

That means that 97% of drivers monitored across Wales weren’t stopped by the Operation Ugain teams.

Drivers who chose the engagement option were given a ten minute presentation delivered by Fire and Rescue Service personnel.

It aims to inform people on the change in default speed limit, the reasons behind the change, and how they can identify the roads it applies to.

The controversial speed limit has been met with some opposition in Wales and a petition calling for it to be reversed has reached over 468,000 signatures – the most in Senedd history.

Engagement 

As the Operation Ugain teams continue to work in communities across Wales, data from the sessions will be regularly published at www.gosafe.org

This monthly information will include the total vehicles monitored, stopped, engaged with, and where drivers aren’t eligible for engagement, prosecuted.

Founder of the campaign group, 20’s Plenty for Us, Rod King said: “In local authorities all over UK, including Wales, drivers are gradually adjusting to a new pace in communities where 20mph has been implemented as a norm.

“In Wales it is good to see both the public adapting their behaviour to create calmer, safer and quieter communities, and the Police taking a pragmatic, educational role in assisting this.

“And who better than Fire Services to be able to show the consequence when people make mistakes and the speed of motors prevents them from avoiding a crash and subsequent casualties.”