New 20mph speed limit for residential areas in Wales
Wales is the first UK nation to implement the change
Last updated 17th Sep 2023
The majority of residential roads across Wales now have a new speed limit of 20 miles per hour in a bid to make communities safer and cut road deaths.
The move from the Welsh Government is a UK first and is costing £32 million pounds to implement.
Most roads in Wales that are currently 30mph have become 20mph from today although councils have discretion to impose exemptions.
The Welsh Government has said that cutting the limit from 30mph to 20mph will protect lives and save the NHS in Wales £92 million a year.
The RAC warned drivers not to rely on satnavs for the correct speed limit and instead follow the road signs.
Any motorist caught driving over 20mph but under 30mph will initially receive advice from the police rather than face a ticket, a minister said.
Lee Waters, deputy minister for climate change, told the PA news agency: "Very much the intention initially is to educate and to speak to people and not to fine but over 30mph we will be fining and issuing points."
The minister said he expected it would take around a month for motorists to get used to the changes but said trials of the 20mph limits had shown a typical delay of between one to two minutes for an average journey.
"Most delay doesn't occur because of speed, it could be because of delays at junctions and traffic lights," he said.
"We've all been overtaken by an idiot only to find them one space in front of us at the lights.
"A business model that assumes on somebody driving a way that is dangerous is not a very good business model."
The move isn't without controversy.
The Welsh Conservatives have opposed the scheme and tabled a motion in the Senedd to halt the rollout but were defeated.
Andrew RT Davies, the leader of the Conservatives in the Senedd, said: "Whilst I agree that 20mph is sensible outside heavily pedestrianised areas, such as schools, hospitals and care homes, the Labour Government's blanket 20mph speed limit rollout across Wales is simply ludicrous."
Natasha Asghar, the Welsh Conservative shadow transport minister, added: "Labour and Plaid Cymru have refused to listen to public opinion and are continuing to wage their anti-worker, anti-road and anti-motorist agenda."