20mph: An in-depth look at Wales' controversial new law

September 17 marked the first anniversary of the speed limit being rolled out across the country. It has led to a protest petition signed by hundreds of thousands of people which smashed Senedd records, but there is also data suggesting it is working to improve road safety in Wales. 

One of the biggest bones of contention, especially in North East Wales, is the exempted roads - or rather, the lack of them. 

The Welsh Government has pledged "targeted change" to the policy, and has issued local authorities with new guidance which should make it simpler for them to exempt more roads from the 20mph limit. 

We spoke to transport secretary, Ken Skates, ahead of the anniversary of the 20mph limit to discuss how things are changing.

Mr Skates was asked about the financial burden being placed on struggling local authorities to make more roads exempt.

For example, traffic regulation orders (TRO), signs and other factors cost Wrexham Council £361,500 in preparation for the introduction of 20mph in 2023. 

Mr Skates said: "We've made up to £5 million available to help local authorities change roads from 20mph to 30. And that, based on our calculations, should be sufficient. We are very conscious about how stretched councils are."

On the timescale when further 30mph exemptions are likely to take effect, the transport secretary said: "We've got 22 councils across Wales and some will move faster than others - largely because some will have more changes to make. 

"What will happen now is that councils will review the roads that have been recommended by people to change from 20mph to 30mph - based on the new guidance that we published in the summer. That new guidance gives councils more flexibility. It empowers and enables them to make decisions on the balance of keeping traffic moving versus the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. 

"The revised guidance is crucial in ensuring that safe change can take place. The actual process for them making changes involves publishing lists of roads that councils intend changing, and then seeking, through TROs, the permission to make the intended changes. Pursuing a TRO takes around four weeks. So we're anticipating the vast majority of changes taking place in the early part of next year."

North Wales councils have received hundreds of individual requests for roads to revert to 30mph as part of the consultation. 

But in terms of a estimated number of roads that will likely revert to 30, Mr Skates said he doesn't have one currently. 

"We're yet to have the assessments from councils on which roads will be sifted out for change back to 30mph," he said. "In some cases it's happened, but not right across Wales. So that work is still taking place as part of the review phase.

"What I found striking is that while the number of people who have responded (to the consultation) across Wales has been huge - thousands upon thousands people have made their views known, people are generally identifying the very same routes. For example, in the Wrexham area people are identifying Mold Road, or Chester Road, en masse. So a lot of people are identifying a comparatively low number of roads that they feel should change back to 30mph. 

"So whilst the end number may be comparatively low, the actual impact it will have on people accepting and embracing this policy will be quite dramatic, I think."

GoSafe

Every month, GoSafe publishes figures on the number of motorists caught speeding in 20mph zones in Wales. Enforcement action began in March 2024, with a huge month-on-month jump in the number of motorists caught speeding.

(Image: Newsquest) Most motorists have been given a warning letter, or offered educational courses.

A GoSafe spokesperson said: "It’s worth noting that the number of offences detected is not equal to the amount of people that received fines. The data is only for the number of offences. These offences may conclude in educational courses, points and a fine, court referrals or exemptions.

"We do not include a breakdown of the conclusions as notices have six months to be resolved and could be resolved at any point within that period."

Responding to the data, and on general driver behaviour regarding 20mph in Wales, the transport secretary said: "I think there is frustration among drivers on certain roads, and that's why we want to make sure we get this policy right and appropriate change is made. 

"By and large, the motoring public are incredibly responsible and drive safely. There will always be people, regardless of the speed limit, that drive unsafely. And they're the people that GoSafe is very vigilant of - trying to ensure it identifies those offenders and that they're dealt with accordingly. What we have seen in some cases motorists are travelling way above the 20mph speed limit.

"GoSafe serves a really important purpose in reducing the risk of collision on roads. But I do accept there is frustration among motorists on certain routes, and these are largely the same ones people have said need to revert to 30mph."

20mph explained

Touching on whether he thinks 20mph has been, on the whole, a good move for Wales, Mr Skates said: "I think it's been a positive move for those people who have avoided serious injury and death. The data shows that the number of collisions has reduced. We're keenly monitoring the long-term trend, but it does show that so far - the policy has met the principle objective of making roads safer. 

"However, we wouldn't be where we are today having not listened to tens of thousands of people, were it for the fact that we recognise mistakes were made in the implementation of the policy - and we're seeking to fix them. Working with councils and the general public, we are hoping that by this time next time year we'll have the right speed limits in place on roads across Wales."

However, not all Welsh politicians are as hopeful that things are heading in the right direction. 

'Anger and frustration'

Sam Rowlands, Conservative Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, says anger and frustration is increasing against the controversial 20mph speed limit across the country, one year after it was introduced.

Mr Rowlands, a harsh critic of the new legislation, said: “I really can’t believe that we are now 12 months down the line since this nonsensical and crazy law was introduced and the Welsh Labour Government is still not prepared to listen to what the public wants.

“Even the new First Minister has admitted they did not get it right and is saying they have watered down the guidelines so the public can ask their local council to change the limit.

“This will make very little difference as the Welsh Government’s new guidelines are far too strict. The Welsh Labour Government have no intention of scrapping this extremely unpopular and unwarranted policy which is causing anger and frustration across North Wales."

Sam Rowlands pictured with anti-20mph campaigners in Buckley. (Image: Sam Rowlands MS) Mr Rowlands added: “The depth of feeling against this bonkers idea is immense and it is a real shame that local people and businesses continue to suffer for a policy which was ill thought out and quite frankly ridiculous.

“Almost half a million people signed a petition against the new default speed limit which will come at a cost of around £33m an anticipated £9 billion hit to the Welsh economy.

“I was happy to continue to show my support to the campaign by meeting protestors on the steps of the Senedd on Tuesday September 17 to mark 12 months since this disastrous policy was introduced.”

Twelve months down the line since the introduction of 20mph, data is now emerging showing its impact on reducing collisions and improving road safety in Wales. 

Overall, the number of collisions is down - as shown in the chart below. 

Insurer esure has also noticed a significant drop (20 per cent) in reported accidental damage claims from its Welsh customers after implementation of the national default 20mph limit.

As a result esure has been reducing its insurance premiums for Welsh drivers.

The collective savings to 1.6m Welsh drivers is significant. If applied across the whole of the UK, the saving of approximately £50 per policy would amount to a massive £1.4 billion if 20mph became the norm for cities, towns and villages, based on 28 million privately registered cars.

But despite the data, many drivers in Wales remain thoroughly fed-up with the new speed limit. 

We've been asking people their views during the past year.

Neil Davies, from Corwen, said: "I understand it going past schools and places like that, but sometimes you're on long stretches of road - like the one out of Mold towards Wrexham which is 20mph, and people get frustrated. 

"I do drop down to 20mph but people overtake then, so I think it's less safe. A lot cars struggle in third gear at 20, and you spend a lot of time checking the speedometer. It's a very poorly thought-out idea."

Paul Higgins (Image: Newsquest)

Paul Higgins, from Prescot on Merseyside, was holidaying in North Wales. He said: "I respect it, they're saving people's lives but it's difficult to keep to 20mph. I find I'm concentrating more on my speed than the road. If every country did it, we'd all get used to it. But in England, there are 20mph zones outside of schools and care homes, which is where it should be 20."

20's Plenty for Us

We also spoke with Rod King, chair of the 20's Plenty for Us campaign group. 

He said: "I don’t think it’s that controversial a policy. In terms of the petition, 97 per cent signed it in its first two weeks when 20mph felt a shock to people's system.

"We find that most people are accepting of it, begrudgingly or not. There is a small minority who say we don’t want it whatsoever, in any form."

Asked about what people class as main roads being subject to 20mph, Mr King said: "There's nothing fundamental about a main road that makes it safer, if anything these are where there are higher volumes of traffic and where speed calming measures are needed.

"For us, the good thing is that the data is showing casualties are reducing, insurance premiums and damage claims are reducing - it's definitely working in its aim of making Welsh roads safer.  

"We often look at 20mph from the perspective of drivers, looking through the lens of the windscreen in a protected, warm environment where we feel in control. Often the real debate is what it looks like through the lens of an 8 year old walking to school, or an elderly person walking to a shop. There are two sides to road safety. Will a driver have a different perspective to that child crossing a busy road?

"What Wales has done is being viewed fondly around the world. I find Wales is now a much more pleasant, and safer, place to walk around."