What people in Conwy and Denbighshire think of new 20mph speed limit

As of last Sunday (September 17), the majority of residential roads in Wales changed from 30mph to 20mph.

The Welsh Government says the move will help save lives and also hope that it can encourage people to walk or cycle to work.

But, the change has been met with strong opposition with a petition so far gathering more than 425,000 signatures and rising.

We asked readers one week on from the introduction of the new speed limits to tell us how life has changed for them.

MORE:

North Wales MS backs no confidence motion in Senedd over 20mph

Allowing councils to review exemptions can 'ease' 20mph concerns, says Plaid leader

Minister behind new 20mph in Wales facing no confidence vote in the Senedd

Many spoke out about the new default limit, saying it had impacted on their day-to-day lives.

Debs Pollard: "Tourists already cancelling. Talked to two people yesterday on my travels whose friends and also relatives had decided not to come to Wales for their holidays due to the new speed limit. This sentiment is being echoed on social media thousands of times over."

"Parcel deliveries not turning up because the drivers have run out of time. Same for HGV drivers."

Amanda Gill: "Absolutely frustrating, seems more traffic than ever and cars all driving close together, people pulling out on each other, cyclists able to take over cars? How is this safer? There's more road rage than ever especially when you get the fools that drive at 20 even when the limit is clearly sign posted 40 etc."

Calli Walsh: "Ridiculous...the roads are worse than ever..'people are even doing 18mph in a 40...completely agree with it around schools and housing but not main roads! Not only is it causing havoc, it’s unhealthy for us, the environment, and our cars...my car is usually pretty good on fuel with it being a hybrid but this week it’s drank it."

Andrew Toots Turton: "It's a nightmare, it's horrible and it's going to damage the tourist industry even more. Drakeford has ruined Wales.

"Wales is the laughing stock of the UK, 90 mins extra on a return journey from North Wales to Bridgend. More pollution, more frustrated drivers. Holiday makers cancelling holidays in Wales. Billions lost to the economy of Wales. Why not concentrate on the 15,000 who die in Wales every year waiting for NHS treatment?"

Kevin Beavis: "Brand new bottlenecks on way to work which didn’t exist before. Driving in lower gear, higher revs and with less MPG. If you do 20mph, you end up with a tailback of angry drivers behind you. Public transport is abysmal here and I don’t fancy a 44 mile round trip to work on foot thanks."

Matthew Williams: "Drakeford has single-handed ruined Wales in one policy. This blanket ban on 30mph has caused chaos, mass confusion, tailgating, abusive driving (as I’m not receiving points), overtaking, cyclists who put them themselves in more danger by overtaking driver side! People seem to also just step out onto the road now without a care. This is going to ruin the tourism, ruined the lives of taxi drivers."

Darren Parkes: "I’m sure the people of Wales will give the Welsh Assembly their verdicts at the next election!"

David Cooper: "Blood pressure sky high, fed up with drivers who are still doing 15 mph on national speed limit roads because they think blanket means every road."

Chris Nield: "Absolutely ridiculous, cars are so close to each other struggling to keep to the stupid limit whilst trying not to go too slow either.

"It’s bad for emissions, bad for mpg, bad for the vehicles in general. It doesn’t save lives and it wasn’t voted for.

"People shouldn’t take this lying down. Not surprised to see signs being vandalised and I don’t blame those doing it. An embarrassing joke of a decision.

"20 outside schools, hospitals and very busy built up communities. Nowhere else!"

Michelle Denise Moores: "It’s stupid as it’s going to put 10mins on my journey to get a child to school from Ruthin. Who’s going to pay me my extra time!!!"

Donna Musgrove: "I agree with 20mph around schools, housing estates and side streets. Trunk roads such as Vale Road. and Wellington Road etc should be left at 30mph."

Kay Louise Redhead: "My car has developed an emissions fault - as have loads of other peoples looking online!"

Julian Whitfield: "It’s vile. Was nothing wrong with 30mph it’s all about control. If it wasn’t...why not make it 10mph?? Lunacy and ballot box will be interesting. These ‘people’ need consent..and alienating voters at their peril. We should have been asked…it’s been forced on us, we have a free will."

Danny Thompson: "It’s one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen on the roads. I can see it putting more people in hospital not less. I’ve never seen so many incidents of road rage in a year let alone a week.

"It’s so utterly confusing that people don’t have a clue what speed to go. This needs scraping asap! People are already taking the law in to their own hands by spray painting over the signs or ripping them down and I don’t blame them one bit."

Lucy Cousins: "It’s a nightmare. I am disabled and can’t manage without a car but my automatic is struggling to settle into a gear at 20mph and I’m constantly having to accelerate then brake then accelerate…it means I’m spending too much time watching the speedo and less time looking where I’m going.

"My fuel consumption has increased.

"Signs are misleading with roads that are 30 having no signs for roads at 20 joining them meaning those who know it’s 30 often tailgate and overtake.

"My son tells me cycling is difficult with long strings of cars and the times he wants to go faster he is unsure if undertaking or overtaking is safer."

Ian H Jones: "Awful. 30mph has been the default speed limit in urban areas for over 60 years, and that's because it works. 20mph is too slow, it bad for environment, bad for engines, bad for safety as folk are looking at they speedos, and needs rescinding as soon as possible."

Matthew Slocombe: "My stress levels have gone through the roof, I really have to try to focus on driving rather than how annoyed I am at the government."

Martin Friel: "Sadly this is going to cost lives

"Fire crews and lifeboats who are part time and only come in when there’s a job will take them longer getting to there stations. Hence longer to get to the fire / boat sinking / swimmer in difficulty

"The list is endless."

Dan Mill: "Worst driving week of my life. Late for work every day due to mass congestion. Noticed more pollution as well, oh yeah and a bicycle clipped my wing mirror as he undertook me. Well done, Welsh Government."

James Parry: "Beyond a joke, customers delayed getting to us, deliveries delayed by companies doing multiple drops before us, people not reading the road signs and carrying on at 20mph in 30+ speed limits.

"I have personally witnessed three counts of road rage in the last week as a result of this."

Paul Maidment: "Farcical. I have seen road rage, overtaking in 20 limits due to frustration and a general lack of getting anywhere due to tailbacks with the front end drivers doing far less than the posted limits. Once the 20 limits get enforced there will be carnage.

Siân Robs: "I find pedestrians are more willing to cross in front of moving cars with the speed limit down, I've had a few near misses this week and its only been a week

Paul Langstone: "So bored at 20mph, I engage cruise control and admire the scenery and shop window displays."

Jim Hamilton: "It's costing more and damaging a fragile Welsh economy. Businesses are suffering as it puts more time on their deliveries and people aren't getting things repaired as for some it's just now to far and not cost effective. Tourism will be reduced as people go elsewhere as touring around Wales becomes longer and slower.

"We don't need a nanny state with 20mph everywhere."

Steven Bridge: "Like driving in a permanent funeral procession to mourn the loss of our tourist trade..."

Steven West: "20mph zones are needed, because of people’s lack of common sense in certain areas, but the amount of places these have been put in are ridiculous.

"Outside schools and high risk areas I agree with. To have it rolled out and blanketed is just needlessly adding time, cost, frustration and pollution to everyone’s journeys.

"It’s discouraging tourists from coming here, it’s creating more pollution and statistically going to cause more accidents. Less serious injuries but more bumps. Everyone in Wales is going to have to pay more for insurance, car maintenance and fuel as a result of these unnecessary limits.

"Also a colossal waste of tax payers money, which could have been much better spent on just about anything."

Pauline Watkins: "Worst decision ever, it's going to cost the Welsh economy millions, people already cancelling holidays here, deliveries taking longer."

Samantha Ace: "Honestly the worst decision the Welsh Government have brought in. Roads which are wide and not in residential areas do not and should not be 20mph. I have experienced my own road rage whilst trying to adhere. I have been using more petrol and been much slower getting to places. It needs to be scrapped."

Steve van Rhyn: "Costing my business a fortune. Money should have been spent in the NHS helping the waiting lists created by Labour mis-management. Pointless exercise in stupidity."

And its not just motorists.

Emma Owen said: "Awful, its such a bad thing to do. Drivers are looking more at their speed than the road. I'm not a driver I'm a horse rider it feels a lot less safe to be on the road.

Steve Ballard: "As a cyclist, it's made the roads a lot more dangerous for me.

"Cars cannot overtake cleanly as they are only slightly faster, so it's either overtake and sometimes swerve back in cutting me up or drive to close behind me, which is just plain scary."

However, people in Conwy and Denbighshire are no unanimous in their views of the new default speed limit.

Sue Harwood said: "I think these same comments were probably made when the 70mph limit was first introduced, and certainly when seat belts were made mandatory. In another six months the fuss will have died down, and the roads will be safer."

Maureen Young: "It's been easier to pull out of my side road estate onto the main road but I'm sure in a few weeks it will go back to normal with many speeding on what used to be a 30mph road. I cycled to work one day and definitely felt safer."

Graham Price: "It's fantastic. Best decision any government has ever made."

Mark Ian Tebbutt: "Anyone who couldn’t cope with moving at 30mph needs to hand in their driving license immediately for everyone else’s sake. I’d also suggest swapping anything sharp in your house for safety scissors and keeping cleaning fluids out of your reach

Richard Wills: "Not really a big news story, it's just the loudest on social media are floating to the top."

Lacey Flora: "Not so bad if people actually took notice of the signs. If it says 30 or 40 it’s that not 20. I agree with it around schools and residential areas. People just need to read the signs."

Jeffrey Gray: "Haven't noticed, still doing 30."

Tracy Fish: "I find it okay in busy streets round town and residential areas but sometimes it does feel a little slow in other areas, I feel less stressed to keep up with traffic now much calmer

Michael Andrew Hughes Solomon: "No issues."

Caradoc Roberts: "Some of the biggest moaners are people who spend at least four hours a day with their feet up watching TV. Perhaps depriving you of 15 minutes of TV is doing you a favour. Sky can put two adverts in that time."