Welsh 20mph speed limit may be scrapped

Changes to Wales’ controversial 20mph speed limit in towns looks set to change. The new transport secretary Ken Skates believes that the low limit should only be imposed near schools, hospitals and nurseries.

Almost 500,000 people have already signed a petition calling for the 20mph limit to be scrapped. Legislation to lower the default national speed limit on residential roads and busy pedestrian streets from 30mph to 20mph in Wales was approved by the Senedd in July 2022.

Skates told the Welsh Parliament:

There is a growing consensus that 20mph is right around schools, hospital and nurseries. I strongly feel across the chamber there is support for 20mph in those areas where it is appropriate, especially where children and the elderly are at risk. In such areas, it all makes sense. It makes people feel safer, but we do need to make sure that 20 mph is targeted in those places as we always promised it would be.

Richard Smith, managing director of the Road Haulage Association (RHA), welcomed the review. He said:

We welcome this plan to work collaboratively to address a move which has proven to be a divisive one for the Welsh public. We have long been urging the Welsh Government to rethink this policy and to instead focus on creating a road network which benefits all users. While we must all strive to improve the safety of our roads and while we recognise that 20mph is appropriate in areas where there are known accident hot spots and in areas where there are hospitals and schools, we’ve long questioned whether a blanket 20mph zone is necessary when more targeted measures would work just as well.

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