Image: Welsh Government
Reducing speed will not only save lives but will help build stronger, safer communities, the Welsh Government has said, three months before the introduction of the default 20mph speed limit.
Described as the ‘biggest step-change in community safety in a generation’, most streets in Wales that currently have a 30mph speed limit will switch to 20mph on Sunday 17 September.
The change comes after four years of work between the Welsh Government and local authorities, police and road safety experts to design a change in law, making Wales the first UK nation to reset the default speed limit for local roads.
Lee Waters, deputy minister with responsibility for transport, said: “We’re now just three months away from the biggest step-change in community safety we have seen in Wales for a generation.
“In Wales we do things differently, we look after each other and trust the science.
“Evidence shows that a vehicle travelling at 30mph will still be travelling at 24mph in the time it would take a car travelling 20mph to stop.
“Reducing speed not only saves lives; it will help build stronger, safer communities – better places to live our lives.”
The move follows a similar approach in Spain where the speed limit on the majority of roads was changed to 30km/h in 2019.
Since then, Spain has reported 20% fewer urban road deaths, with fatalities reduced by 34% for cyclists and 24% for pedestrians.
Mark Drakeford, Wales’ first minister, said: “Our streets will be quieter, reducing the scourge of noise pollution, and slower speeds also boosts the confidence of people to cycle and walk around their local areas and for children to play outdoors.
“Evidence from around the world is clear – reducing speed limits reduces collisions and saves lives.
“I am confident if we all work together, we can make the necessary changes that will benefit us now and in the future.”
The Welsh Government also points to research which shows the 20mph default speed limit could save £92m a year by reducing the number of deaths and injuries.
Over the first decade, it is estimated a lower speed limit will save up to 100 lives and 20,000 casualties.
Earlier this month, a petition to stop the introduction of a default 20mph speed limit across Wales ‘closed early because it has received so many signatures’, according to Wales Online.
Correct Pat. Your position hasn’t changed. But as I remember the collective position of delegates at the conference did change between before and after the debate in favour of 20mph limits.
Rod King, Lymm
+3
The gentleman from Atkins, Rod and myself shared the platform on the 20mph debate at RSGB 2019 conference. My position on Default 20 has not changed.
https://nationalroadsafetyconference.org.uk/2019-agenda/hot-topic-can-20mph-limits-zones-help-reduce-collisions-and-casualties-and-improve-road-safety/
Pat, Wales
0
There are no “exemptions” from a national speed limit, only “exceptions” where a local authority decided that either there was little mixing of pedestrians and cyclists or there is robust and evidenced application of local factors indicating otherwise.
The actual guidance states :-
“Question A: Are there significant numbers (or potential numbers, if speeds were lower) of pedestrians and cyclists travelling along or across the road?
If the answer to A is ‘no’ then an exception for a 30mph speed limit may be appropriate.
Question B: If the answer to A is ‘yes’, are the pedestrians and cyclists mixing with motor traffic?
If the answer to B is ‘no’ then a 30mph speed limit exception may be appropriate.
If the answer to B is ‘yes’ then a 20mph speed limit will be appropriate unless the robust and evidenced application of local factors indicates otherwise. ”
What exactly is the problem Pat? Are you complaining about the fact that you cannot find or present any “robust and evidenced application of local factors indicating otherwise”?
Do you want change of guidance so that you can have a 30mph limit even though there is no robust evidence that it is appropriate?
What exactly do you want to change?
Rod King, Lymm
+16
It was good to see democracy in action in the Senedd for this debate. Welsh parliamentarians from the main political parties spent a lot of the debate time taking the Welsh Government’s deputy minister (DM) responsible for Default 20 to task.
There is general support from Members of the Senedd for 20mph speed limits around schools, play areas, high streets etc. However even some Default 20 supporters from the DM’s own political party flagged up that the policy has, shall I say, ‘overreached’ and there was noticeable serious concern, amongst some Members to the extent that 20mph speed limits will, indeed, very much blanket much of Wales, especially in the Valleys.
Many of the Members have finally registered the risk that this ‘policy overreach’ will produce a result that many of them didn’t envisage. Just a shame that this debate didn’t happen 6 months ago, as now it now much too late to amend the Exemptions process guidance and re-run public consultations as many Members expressed this wish to the DM during the debate.
…..but it is not too late for Local Authorities to decide to make changes to the Exemptions process themselves if they have concerns that it is too harsh, as it is they and not Welsh Government who are the Highways Authority for local roads. The Highways legal power and the ‘buck’ for the policy implementation rest with the LAs.
There is always a slim hope for an outbreak of common sense in the next few weeks.
Pat, Wales
--16
And you can read why Members of Senedd should reject the petition in our detailed critique at https://www.20splenty.org/critique_of_the_anti-20mph_senedd_petition
Rod King, Lymm
+22
The Senedd (Welsh Parliament not Welsh Government) discussion on the ‘Stop the Default 20mph’ petition mentioned above is due to be heard on Wednesday 28 June. You can follow it here.
https://business.senedd.wales/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=700&MId=13384
Pat, Wales
+4