Wales Government to revert some 20mph speed limits back to 30mph

Starting in September 2024, the Welsh Government will be reverting the process of changing some new 20mph speed limit roads back to the original 30mph.

New Transport Secretary Ken Skates has asked locals to contact their local councils to tell them where they believe these changes should happen.

Currently, there are no concrete figures on the number of roads that will have new speed limits in September.

Government officials have stated that they originally backed the widespread changes to speed limits to 20mph – but have now recognised that ‘no one can deny that there have been widespread problems with its implementation from day one’.

Roads in built up areas appear to be the ones that have received the highest level of public backlash since they were introduced.

All roads that revert back to the original speed limits will have the cost covered by Plaid Cymru – rather than local councils.

Skates said: "The Welsh government continues to believe that 20mph is the right speed limit in places such as near schools, hospitals, nurseries, community centres, play areas and in built-up residential areas.

"What I am doing now is listening to what people want for the roads in their communities and pressing ahead with refining the policy and getting the right speed on the right roads."

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Plaid Cymru has called for a wider Government debate on the topic of 20 mph speed limits following the news.

Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “We know that the UK Conservative Government want to put a stranglehold on Wales’ finances and have been intent on keeping Wales in the slow lane by not re-designating HS2 an England only project.

“But we would have expected better from Labour, a party that purports to be ‘standing up for Wales’.

“Despite Labour Ministers claiming that that they are on the same side as Plaid Cymru on the unfairness of the lack of HS2 consequentials, it now seems that they are no more than weasel words when we see their ambivalence towards pursuing the matter.

“This is a worrying signal of things to come should Keir Starmer become the next Prime Minister and giving Wales the silent treatment on HS2 speaks volumes about Labour’s attitude to fair funding.

“The absence of resolve shown by the Counsel General is tantamount to waving the white flag.

“If the Vaughan Gething premiership is going to be something other than the same old, the First Minister must reconsider his government’s decision to let the UK Government off the hook.”

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RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “This decision will please a great many drivers in Wales, but it’s a shame so many roads that should have always remained at 30mph were unnecessarily converted to 20mph. 

“More public money now needs to be spent changing signs back at time when funds are already stretched.

“We are very supportive of 20mph limits being implemented in places where there’s a greater presence of pedestrians and cyclists as they are proven to reduce road casualties, but when used on roads that are clearly better suited to 30mph, there’s a risk drivers don’t obey the limit and their effectiveness is undermined.

“Among those who admit to speeding on 20mph roads, RAC research [see below] shows half (50%) of drivers say they do so because they feel the limit is inappropriate.

“This compares to just 28% of drivers who say they exceed the 30mph limit for the same reason.”