Update on council’s 20mph review expected soon

Drivers in a Welsh county will find out very soon which roads, if any, could change back to a 30mph speed limit.

The default 20mph speed limit came into force on September 17, 2023.

Following a massive backlash against the new speed limit which included a petition signed by just under 470,000 people calling for it to be scrapped, the Labour Welsh Government made a partial U-turn on the issue.

The government asked people across Wales to contact their local authority, such as Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council with feedback on how their changes to the national default speed limit had been implemented on specific roads.

This period for “feedback” took place between April and August last year.

Update

During this time the Blaenau Gwent council received 81 individual comments which were related to 27 individual streets or roads.

These would  be assessed against the revised government guidance on speed limits which was published in July last year.

The guidance explains that when deciding whether a street or road should have a higher speed limit, local authorities must be certain that any such increase will not have a negative impact on road safety.

A council spokesperson said: “We have carried out the review and we will be in a position to update you with the results very shortly.”

Once the results have been published the council will explain why a stretch of road would or would not be “suitable” to go up to 30 mph.

Legal process

The council said:  “For any street or road where the revised guidance suggests a 30mph speed limit could be suitable, we will produce a traffic regulation order (TRO), which is a legal process we must follow if we are to alter the speed limit.

“Every TRO will be subject to a public consultation, where residents can show support or raise objections.”

The roads where a review has been asked for are:

• A4047, Beaufort Road, Tredegar
• A467, Aberbeeg Road, Abertillery
• Reservoir Road, Ebbw Vale
• Thomas Ellis Way, Tredegar
• Merthyr Road, Tredegar
• B4256 Morgan Street, Tredegar
• Park Place, Tredegar
• Vale Terrace, Tredegar
• Park Hill, Tredegar
• Stable Lane, Tredegar
• Llwyn Helyg, Tredegar
• A467, Blaina
• Surgery Road, Blaina
• Church Street, Blaina
• King Street, Brynmawr
• Alma Street, Brynmawr
• Beaufort Road, Ebbw Vale
• Station Road, Blaina
• A4046 between Tredegar Road and The Walk, Ebbw Vale
• Somerset Street, Abertillery
• Roseheyworth Road, Abertillery
• Bourneville Road, Abertillery
• Abertillery Road, Abertillery
• Queen Street, Nantyglo
• New Road, Nantyglo
• Pond Road, Nantyglo.
• Waun Ebbw Road, Nantyglo.