Welsh county one of UK’s top 10 biggest spenders on 20mph speed limits

Alec Doyle Local Democracy Reporter

A Welsh county has been revealed among the 10 highest spending authorities in the UK on 20mph zones in the last three years.

Flintshire spent £1,796,000 on changing roads to 20mph – the eighth highest in Britain. In Wales only Swansea spent more.

By contrast Wrexham spent £1,002,040 – well outside the biggest spenders.

According to data from car insurance price comparison site Confused.com linked to the launch of its new speeding fine calculator, UK councils have spent more than £41.9 million introducing 20mph limits over the past three years.

Between 2023 and 2026 North Wales Police almost quadrupled its total number of speeding fines issued, 11,980 to 46,285.

Despite this some councils are already undoing the changes with at least 174 roads already switched back to higher limits.

The majority of those are in Wales – as a result of the backlash against 20mph speed limit on the country’s roads  dating back to 2023.

Flintshire has reverted six of those 20mph roads back to their old speed limits since Welsh Government allowed authorities to reverse the policy last year.

Wrexham has reversed the 20mph limit on 52 roads. Spending figures only cover the cost of changing roads to 20mph – in Wales the Welsh Government covers the cost of reversing any changes.

Matt Crole-Rees, Motoring Expert at Confused.com, said that while drivers were not generally fans of the 20mph policy, research showed they accepted a sensible introduction of slower speeds.

“Drivers in Wales have mixed views on where the 20mph limits should apply,” he said. “More than half (57%) say 20mph makes sense near schools and homes, but not on main roads.

“Just under half (43%) think it’s gone too far. The priority now should be getting limits settled and clearly signed, so drivers know the correct limits for where they’re driving.”

He said the speeding ticket calculator was designed to show drivers how much a ticket would cost them before they speed, as a deterrent, with speeding fines now linked to income.

“Speed is one of the biggest factors in collisions,” he said. “The faster a vehicle is travelling, the less time a driver has to react and the more serious the consequences can be, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists near homes and schools.

“If you are caught speeding, the minimum penalty is a £100 fine and three points on your license, though it can be higher depending on your income and how far over the limit you were driving.

“It’s also worth remembering the costs can continue long after the fine is paid, as a speeding offence can push up your insurance premiums too.”

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