Everything You Need to Know as Wales’s 20 mph Speed Limit Comes Into Force

Wales’s reduction of speed limits in urban areas from 30 mph to 20 mph has come into effect. WalesOnline runs through the controversial law and what it means for motorists. Here’s an excerpt:

The law in Wales has now changed and the default speed limit on restricted roads is 20 mph. A last-minute attempt to get the policy thrown out failed in the Senedd only days ago and despite polling showing a majority of people oppose the policy the Labour-run Welsh Government has continued with its implementation saying it will save lives and soon feel normal for drivers.

Here we look at the biggest questions drivers will have.

Are all roads going to have a 20 mph limit?

No – it will affect most 30 mph roads but not all. The official definition is that it is for restricted roads.

What is a restricted road?

There is no definitive definition but restricted roads are usually located in residential and built-up areas where there are lots of people. They often have street lights placed no more than 200 yards apart on them. Not all 30 mph roads are restricted roads and those remaining as 30 mph will be signposted.

How many roads are affected?

Latest data shows currently 37% of Welsh roads are 30 mph but that will drop to 3%.

Who decides which roads are exempt from the new law?

It is up to councils to decide the roads which will be exempt from the change and maps of all the roads affected by the change, as well as the roads remaining 30 mph, have been published and you can see those here. Councils have already made some exemptions but they can continue to assess whether roads should be exempt.

Will I be fined or banned if I’m caught speeding?

There are a number of ways the limit will be enforced. There are the fixed roadside cameras and mobile vans or officers run by GoSafe. Police can also stop people and issue fines and fire service staff will also be able to stop speeding drivers in 20 mph areas and offer them the opportunity to watch an educational video rather than face a fine or prosecution. The video warns about the dangers of excessive speeds and highlights the benefits of slower speed but it will only be offered to those motorists not driving excessively over the speed limit.

Communities will be able to run their own schemes and if they notify GoSafe of a speeding driver the motorist will receive a letter warning them they were caught speeding and run the risk of prosecution in future.

GoSafe say the main initial plan is to educate people. GoSafe and Welsh police forces say they support the new national 20 mph speed limit and will be “engaging with motorists and communities, to ensure the new speed limit is respected”. Go Safe say enforcement will take place “where it is needed… and will be carried out through a combination of mobile enforcement vehicles and fixed cameras as is the case now”. They have extra funding to pay for education for the next six months which they hope will be increased to last for 12 months. …

Will this make my journey take longer?

The Welsh Government say many cases lowering the speed limit to 20 mph will have little or no impact on journey times. Where there is an impact Welsh Government analysis showed that most journeys would only be around one minute longer but this would make the roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

How will I know if I’m in a 20 mph or 30 mph zone?

The Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters has admitted that different councils are taking different approaches. “We know that some councils will have all their signs up on Sunday and others have decided to take a different approach in sequencing the change,” he said. His advice to the Senedd was: “‘See street lights, think 20 mph’ is the clear piece of advice we can give our constituents.” …

Do bikes have to follow the speed limit?

Bikes are exempt but when asked about electric bikes or scooters Welsh Government officials pointed out electric scooters are illegal and should not be used on roads anyway.

Worth reading in full.

Stop Press: The Mail reports that Welsh residents have begun responding to the recently implemented 20 mph speed limit by taking matters into their own hands, painting over road signs for the reduced speed zones.