Welsh Government to “refine” 20mph policy

09.10 | 24 April 2024 | | 8 comments

Image: Welsh Government

The Welsh Government says it will ‘listen to the people of Wales’ and work with councils to deliver targeted change to the implementation of 20mph.

In September 2023, Wales became the first UK nation to lower its default speed limit from 30mph to 20mph.

While evidence shows the limit change has led to a reduction in speeds, it has come under plenty of public scrutiny. An online petition opposing the move received more than 469,000 signatures – the most signed petition in the history of the Welsh Parliament.

In a speech to the Senedd on 23 April, cabinet secretary Ken Skates set out a three-phase plan that will “put communities at the heart” of 20mph – including a ‘genuine programme of listening to people’. 

Between now and July, the Welsh Government will consult with citizens, bus drivers, emergency services, the police, young people, vulnerable people, businesses and councillors, in order to understand their perspectives on road safety in residential areas. 

As part of the programme, the Welsh Government is encouraging people to get in touch with their local council to tell them where they think 20mph should be targeted.  

It is also working in partnership with councils to revise the exceptions guidance.

Once the guidance is finalised, highway authorities will be able to commence the process of adjusting speed limits on relevant roads. It is expected this process will begin in September.

Ken Skates said: “We’ve started by listening. I have been clear in all my conversations that we will put communities at the heart of our thinking and will listen to people.

“As I have already said there is growing consensus on safe speeds in communities that we can build from. We continue to believe 20mph is the right speed limit in places such as near schools, hospitals, nurseries, community centres, play areas and in built-up residential areas.

“The principal objective of the policy is to save lives and reduce casualties on our roads.  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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    The answer is still democracy-in-action….. or perhaps democracy-inaction?


    Pat, Wales
    Agree (2) | Disagree (0)
    +2

    Here is an update on the use of the word “blanket” Pat.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c97z7jdz5z7o

    “Members of the Welsh Parliament have been told not to use the word blanket when referring to the country’s 20mph speed limit.

    Presiding Officer Elin Jones has written to all Senedd politicians warning them not to use the term in the chamber.”

    But as you are not a Senedd politician and are not in Senedd then I guess you don’t have to abide by such standards.

    I assure you that I am aware of the process for setting a local speed limits. I am sure that councilors will take their responsibilities very seriously when increasing any speed limits.

    Perhaps you could answer the question I posed:-

    “What do you consider should be the basis for increasing a speed limit on a road by 50%?”


    Rod King, Lymm
    Agree (0) | Disagree (4)
    --4

    Hardly Rod, you have just repeated a couple of the old arguments 🙂 I expected the word ‘blanket’ to prompt a response from you.
    Blanket is a valid expression even though many Welsh Government politicians don’t like it. However the opposition politicians in the Senedd have defended their position and refused to stop using it.
    Skipping over the rest of your re-runs of old arguments, let me get to answer your new question:

    The basis for returning some of the recent Default 20mph speed limits to 30mph is the democratic decision of the Elected Local Authority Members (aka ‘Councillors’to most of us). Many are currently queueing up at the door to Highways departments requesting changes.

    Let’s revisit this in 12 months time and see what the situation is then. This is because any reversions to 30mph will likely not happen for at least another 6 months due to the process likely to be involved. Even that process won’t be available to view until July.

    https://www.gov.wales/give-feedback-roads-20mph-speed-limit


    Pat, Wales
    Agree (4) | Disagree (0)
    +4

    “Rod and I are re-running previous conversations on our different positions.”

    You may be Pat, but I have moved on.

    I must admit the term “nuanced selective Default 20” is a new one to me. The Welsh Government has no power to set any other limit than a “national limit” for restricted roads. It cannot be selective.

    And I see you have reverted to the use of the word “blanket” which the Senedd Standards Commissioner specifically said was incorrect. Is “wrong but not untruthful” an acceptable standard for you. See https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/welsh-tory-leader-wrong-call-28509886

    Local authorities have always had the power and responsibility to set local speed limits different from the national limit. Yes it requires valid reasons and evidence. Is that so difficult?

    If you are so worried about non-compliance, I would ask what you have done to encourage compliance. And as far as I can see there is plenty of evidence of enforcement.

    Personally I do care more about reducing death and injury on the roads than compliance. If the bonusses are better public health from active travel, better mobility equality, lower emissions and more pleasant communities then so much the better.

    In the past our discussions have been about a default 20mph. That policy has been implemented and will not be changed. What you are now advocating is increasing the speed limit on a few roads by 50%. Something which you have been free to advocate and provide evidence for within your own council.

    Perhaps you can be specific. What do you consider should be the basis for increasing a speed limit on a road by 50%?


    MR ROD KING, Lymm, Cheshire
    Agree (2) | Disagree (4)
    --2

    Rod and I are re-running previous conversations on our different positions. We covered this yet again on RSGB in the June 2023 news article.
    https://roadsafetygb.org.uk/news/20mph-in-wales-biggest-step-change-in-community-safety-in-a-generation/
    I find it interesting that the new Wales Transport Secretary’s position is a lot nearer to my view than that of the previous Welsh minister responsible.
    A nuanced selective Default 20 would be OK but not the ‘blanket with a few holes’ policy that was pushed through.
    Widespread non-compliance and little if any enforcement was my concern for years and is today’s experience– the elephant is still in the room.


    Pat, Wales
    Agree (4) | Disagree (1)
    +3

    The so-called “push-back” against the default 20mph requires some careful analysis to separate the hype from the actuality. 97% of the signatures were in the first two weeks of implementation when the signage was very mixed. In fact by February the signatures per day were down to just 16 across the whole of Wales. In fact from 17th Oct to 17th March the total signatures added in (for example) Torfaen was just 154. Hardly representing a major push-back.

    We have published not only a detailed critique of the petition but also an analysis by area of the signatures over time. Rather than increasing anger at the change in limit, it represents increasing boredom. Some Welsh politicians may well have got anxious over this but in practice in Wales people are getting on with it. Our full critique is at http://www.20splenty.org/w_faq08 and is well worth reading for anyone wishing to make a serious contribution to the debate on this important initiative.

    It was always planned that there was to be some nuancing of the detail after 6 months, and to a certain extent Pat Bates is correct in saying that some authorities may well have been risk-averse in their interpretation of the exception guidelines. Other authorities may have been short of resources, but did do as good a job as possible in the time available.

    Personally, I would like to praise the authorities for all they have done. Despite some nay-sayers, my experience driving around Wales is that the vast majority of the 20mph limits are appropriate and have resulted in a positive change in behaviour as Welsh people have got used to them.

    Yes there will be some nuancing and I am sure that any changes will be seen as far short of what some would have hoped for. But for the the vast number of residents living on 20mph they will want to keep them and some on 30mph will want to be included.

    Regarding the change in Exceptions Guidance we have made a statement at http://www.20splenty.org/faq09

    And finally, I must express my condemnation of the words used by Pat Bates in his final sentence. He has always been against a default 20mph limit and has attempted to thwart its adoption at every stage of the debate over the past 5 years. Using such words is in my opinion un-professional for a Regional Representative of Road Safety GB.


    Rod King, Lymm
    Agree (6) | Disagree (4)
    +2

    I am convinced that the number of roads in Wales that have changed from 30mph to 20mph as a result of the Default 20mph policy is very much in line with what the Deputy Minister for Climate Change (DMCC) wanted at the time. I am also fairly sure that the push back that Welsh Government have received over the run up to Default 20 and then the implementation of the policy is way beyond their expectation. That is the problem when the key ministers responsible live in a bubble and believe their own hype.

    It is a common saying that the devil is in the detail and many Local Authority officers have been totally unconvinced by the detailed Exceptions criteria since the document was first issued over 18 months ago. But with the weight of Welsh Government pushing this through, these rank and file officers were reluctant to step out of line on the Exceptions policy.

    So the change in attitude at the top of the political hierarchy by the new Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport Ken Skates is welcome as is his promise for wide ranging consultation and that the Exceptions criteria will be changed.

    It has taken the retirement of the previous First Minister of Wales and the standing down of the DMCC responsible for the Default 20 policy for this new attitude to pop the previous bubble.

    We look forward to seeing the developments under Ken Skates direction but don’t hold our breath or have too much optimism on either the scope of the changes of the number of roads in Wales turning back to 30mph or that it will be a quick win. For many motorists in the meantime the frustration continues in experiencing the daily farce of the botched implementation of this policy.


    Pat, Wales
    Agree (10) | Disagree (5)
    +5

    “.. the Welsh Government will consult with citizens, bus drivers, emergency services, the police, young people, vulnerable people, businesses and councillors, in order to understand their perspectives on road safety in residential areas.” That’s a lot of people to consult. Good luck with that…bound to be conclusive!


    Hugh Jones, South Wirral
    Agree (5) | Disagree (3)
    +2

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