image caption, Adie Drury has launched a petition against the plan because she says it “makes no sense” to put 20mph limits on busy main roads Speed limits in built-up areas look set to drop from 30mph to 20mph in Wales from next year – a UK first which is controversial among some drivers. Ministers say a 20mph speed limit will reduce road collisions and traffic noise and encourage people to walk and cycle. The slower limit has been divisive in areas where there have been trials with some motorists complaining of more congestion and journeys taking longer. Many UK towns and cities have 20mph limits on residential roads, but Wales will become the first country to make it the default on all restricted roads – with Scotland to follow suit in 2025. Leading active travel groups claim Wales will become the first country in the world to adopt a national speed limit of 20mph on residential roads.
How much does the lower speed reduce the risk?
The latest police figures show that the majority – exactly half – of the 5,570 people injured in collisions in Wales happened on roads below 30mph and in more than 40% of them, someone was killed or seriously injured. Campaigners claim that the chances of surviving being hit by a car at 20mph instead of 30mph are seven times higher, while stopping distances are almost halved. “We know that 20mph zones reduce traffic speed, reduce accidents – particularly accidents involving children,” Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said. “We want to see it become the default location across Wales.”
The government claims the 20mph limit could save money
If the proposal gets the expected green light on Tuesday after initial support in the Senedd two years ago, the new 20mph limit – estimated to cost £33m to introduce – will come into effect in September 2023. image caption, A sign of things to come? Most residential roads in Wales could see 20mph restrictions next year The Welsh Government claims that improved road safety and a reduction in average speed could lead to savings of £58m over 30 years due to reduced demand on emergency services and subsequent hospital care. But more people, in response to a consultation commissioned by the Welsh Government, were against the speed limit than in favour. image caption, Ready, Steady, Slow… Adie Drury’s petition claims a blanket 20mph speed limit on a domestic road will cause chaos
The Argument Against – “Bikes overtake cars”
Following a pilot in her community of Buckley, Flintshire, Adie Drury launched a petition against what she calls “undemocratic limelight” and has more than 12,500 signatures. “The community has no problem with a 20mph limit where it is necessary and where it is safe, such as outside schools, health centers in housing estates and in heavily trafficked areas,” said the 39-year-old mum. “I grew up on a housing estate and played football in the street when I was a kid and it’s good to invite the community to the street – but it should be where it’s appropriate. “You wouldn’t want your kid playing football on an arterial road, so why is the arterial road going 20mph? image caption, Buckle-le up… Buckley was one of eight 20mph pilot areas across Wales and not everyone supports the plan “Cyclists spend a lot of time on Liverpool Road because they can do more than 20mph on their bikes and we can’t do more than 20mph in a car – so I’ve had a lot of reports of people overtaking them in circles. “ A national default speed limit of 20mph would apply on restricted roads, residential areas and busy footpaths where traffic lights are less than 200 yards apart – and anyone caught speeding could face a fine of at least £100 and three penalty points. image caption, Rob Mackey says someone will always be unhappy with the plan whether it’s people living on the street or commuting
The argument in favor – “A car doing 30mph can feel quite threatening”
Rob Mackay is chairman of the local running club and believes a lower speed limit will “benefit the wider community”. “It’s better for runners, walkers, people with their dogs and cyclists,” the 74-year-old said. “If I lived on Liverpool Road I would have one view; if I walked up and down Liverpool Road on a regular basis I would have a different view – the Welsh Government has to balance both. “If you live on a road, the slower the traffic from your house, the better the environment – some of it is air pollution but also noise pollution. There’s a lot more to it than traffic jams.” image caption, Some would argue there are twenty on residential streets, but it’s also caused a bit of road rage Rob, who lives in nearby Northop, has been a member of Buckley Runners for 30 years and has noticed a difference when he hits the roads in this part of Flintshire. “If a car passes me at 20 mph, it’s less of a concern than a car passing me at 30 mph,” Rob said. “And I’m well aware that there are plenty of cars that don’t even stick at 30mph and, particularly in the dark, can feel quite threatening. So a lower threshold makes things better. “I’m old enough to remember when they introduced breathalyzers and if we had social media in those days they’d be screaming. Now accept the fact that you can’t go out and drink 15 pints and drive home. Change is happening.”
“How can I drop the kids off and then cycle to work?”
image caption, The Welsh Government is committed to making roads safer, especially around schools “They would like us to stop using our cars and use our feet to cycle and walk, but we don’t have the infrastructure to do that here,” points out Andy, a health and social care student at the University of Chester. “We don’t have bike lanes, we have narrow lanes and public transport is poor. We don’t all live in Cardiff and have Cardiff’s infrastructure, public transport and industry on our doorstep. “The nearest towns and cities are where our industry is and that’s where people have to travel, you can’t do 15 to 20 miles at a time on a bike when you have kids to pick up and drop off. In rural places, that’s not it is possible and this should be recognized.
“Improve travel infrastructure first”
“No one is in favor of making the roads safer or making it more dangerous for children and people to cross the road, but at the same time, people have busy lives. “Our message to the government before they do this to another city is to improve the infrastructure and get the community involved. Give us the bike lanes first and an alternative to the car.” image caption, Councils can make exceptions for residential road speed limits of 20mph, just not outside schools The Welsh Government has acknowledged that the new threshold will not be suitable everywhere and local authorities can make exceptions, although not outside schools.
“Significantly less expensive”
Although road collisions in Wales have fallen from more than 10,000 a year in 1993 to around 4,000 according to the latest figures, the Welsh Government is committed to making roads even safer. Now, 30 years after a 20mph or 30km/h limit was first introduced without traffic calming measures on all residential streets in one area – the Austrian city of Graz – it is set to get the green light to open in all of Wales. In the UK, the first 20mph limit was at a junction in the Tinsley area of Sheffield in 1991 and now cities such as Portsmouth, Norwich, Oxford and Bristol are among those with lower limits on residential roads . 🚗 Speed limits in Llandaff North, Whitchurch & Tongwynlais, Rhiwbina & Heath have been reduced to 20mph ahead of the Welsh Government’s national traffic drive. Reducing the default speed limit to 20mph saves lives. 👇 pic.twitter.com/RFrFTEyv9j — Cardiff Council (@cardiffcouncil) July 6, 2022 The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) has encouraged the wider use of 20mph limits as “significantly less expensive” than introducing traffic calming measures, adding that it “significantly improves the character of a residential area and the quality of life for the residents”. . Wales’ leading active travel organizations are backing a 20mph residential road limit, citing Rospa research which found pedestrians are 40% less likely to die when hit by a car traveling at 20mph compared to a traveling at 30 mph. Living Streets said there was “typically an average reduction in casualties of at least 20%” with a 20mph speed limit compared to 30mph, as Sustrans Cymru said they wanted “communities built for safety, not speed”. . image caption, Wales’ 20mph pilot areas included Monmouthshire, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Vale of Glamorgan, Pembrokeshire, Neath Port Talbot as well as Flintshire Both Labor and Plaid Cymru, which have a partnership agreement in the Welsh parliament, support the rollout of 20mph across the country and with almost three-quarters of the 60 Senedd seats, Tuesday’s motion is expected to be voted through. “We are united in our belief that this change will reduce road collisions and their severity, while creating more walking and cycling opportunities in communities,” said Plaid transport spokeswoman Delyth Jewell. “A 20mph speed limit in residential areas will allow us to work to provide comfortable, safe, pedestrian access to the places people need to go.”
