Pressure builds to scrap Welsh 20mph speed limit
A council is to review parts of the Welsh Government’s controversial 20mph speed limit amid growing pressure to scrap the restriction.
The scheme has caused consternation among Welsh councillors who are seeking to review the 20mph limit in their areas.
Hugh Jones, leader of the Conservative group for Wrexham Council, said it was reviewing several roads in the constituency.
“What has happened is that there has been a significant number of feeder roads… that have fallen under the 20mph regulations and we need to review those because they are causing significant problems.
“We will start a review and we will start with those roads that we already are beginning to identify that we believe are more appropriate to be 30mph.”
‘Yet to see benefits’
Matthew Evans, a Conservative councillor on Newport City Council, which trialled the 20mph scheme before the national rollout, said he had yet to see any evidence of its benefits .
Meanwhile, Lee Waters, the Labour minister responsible for spearheading the scheme, admitted there are a number of roads that “don’t pass the common-sense test” that should remain at 30mph.
A petition tabled in the Senedd to scrap the law, which came into force on Sept 17 for all residential roads, has received nearly 450,000 signatures.
Mr Waters, who narrowly survived a no-confidence motion on Wednesday, said the review will look at signage and roads that are away from built-up areas.
He told the BBC’s Today programme: “Some of the signage is a bit muddled in some places, some roads really don’t pass the common-sense test… they are not around schools or houses. Surely, they should be at 30mph.
“These are ‘ironing-out’ problems; sometimes that is a matter for a local authority... or it may be an issue [that] the guidance... needs reviewing and that is what we will look at.”
Mr Waters, the deputy minister for climate change, conceded the new restrictions have caused problems for bus companies, some of whom predict longer journeys for passengers.
Arriva, one of Wales’s biggest providers, earlier this week announced it is undergoing a “large-scale review of its network” that could result in changing routes and frequencies to buses.
‘Waging culture wars’
Mr Waters went on to accuse political opponents of the scheme of “waging culture wars” and trying to create a picture of a “so-called war on motorists”.
He refused to clarify how many 20mph roads will revert back to 30mph in the review, saying it was a decision for local councils to make.
Mr Waters added: “We have said you [the public] should assume where it is currently 30 we will switch to 20 unless there is a good reason not to, so that’s the national consistency, but there has to be some flexibility in this.
“Also this is about behaviour. They say it takes 28 days to change a habit. We are on day 12, and already speeds have come down and people are getting used to it.”
Mark Drakeford, the First Minister of Wales, disclosed on Wednesday that he has received threats to his physical safety over the law.
Addressing the Senedd, he claimed to have been sent “vile” messages and urged for supporters of the lower speed limit to be treated with respect.