Extra £5m found to change 20mphs back

By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter

The Welsh Government has published guidance on reverting 20mph roads back to 30mph, announcing an extra £5m for councils to make speed limit changes.

Ken Skates, Wales’ transport secretary, told the Senedd more than 7,000 people have had their say after he launched a “national listening programme” on reversing speed limits.

The new guidance says the Welsh Government expects most speed limit changes from 20 to 30 mph will be made on A or B roads, which are typically main or strategic routes.

Mr Skates accepted 20mph “simply makes no sense” on some roads as he recognised the strength of feeling which saw a record 460,000 people sign a petition against the policy.

He said: “I do think that showing humility and patience can dissolve anger and vexation. We’ve been trying to show humility over 20mph and we’ve been patient.”

‘Finely balanced’

In a statement to the Senedd on July 16, he said the refreshed guidance will help councils make the right decisions for local roads, particularly when such calls are finely balanced.

He told the debating chamber or Siambr that 30mph could be considered on strategic roads outside urban centres and rural residential roads with no nearby facilities.

Mr Skates said 30mph could also be considered for strategic transport routes, such as important bus corridors with limited pedestrian and cyclist traffic.

The minister said councils will begin to act on feedback from September and will be able to bid for funding to make speed limit changes in line with the new guidance.

But he stressed that 20mph is the right speed limit near schools, hospitals, nurseries, community centres, play areas and built-up residential areas.

‘Flak’

Calling for 20mph to be scrapped and replaced with targeted measures, Natasha Asghar claimed the £33m policy is set to deal a £9bn blow to the Welsh economy.

The Conservatives’ shadow transport secretary raised concerns about all the emphasis being “shifted away from the government and onto local authorities”.

She asked: “Isn’t this just a case of the Welsh Government almost washing its hands of this contentious scheme and forcing councils to deal with the flak instead?”

Ms Asghar warned that people across Wales complained of difficulty in submitting feedback via council websites to have their say on speed limits.

The South Wales East MS said: “Some were saying that entering road by road was an arduous task. Some said that the council was not taking feedback. And others were saying that they were told to contact the Welsh Government directly.”

‘Partial u-turn’

Peredur Owen Griffiths, who also represents South Wales East, recognised the economy secretary’s acknowledgement that mistakes were made in the roll-out of 20mph.

Plaid Cymru’s shadow transport secretary welcomed the “partial u-turn” on the policy, saying the government was too slow to empower councils which led to the loss of goodwill.

Mr Owen Griffiths stressed his party remains committed to the principle of 20mph as he pointed to statistics showing a fall in the number of casualties.

But he said much more needs to be done to ensure a local voice in deciding 20mph zones as he warned that engagement cannot become “another unfunded burden” on councils.  

He said: “It's all well and good to invite people to make representations but how much encouragement and publicity was given to this?”

‘Invaluable’

Swansea East MS Mike Hedges welcomed the guidelines which set out that 30mph limits can be considered on strategic transport routes, particularly A and B roads.

He said: “That’s why they’re called A and B roads – I’ve been saving that to your predecessor continually, who looked at me blank most of the time.”

John Griffiths, a fellow Labour backbencher, said his constituents in Newport East are largely supportive of 20mph but people want certain roads changed.

He raised the example of stretches of the B4245, where the speed limit frequently changes, with Mr Skates recognising the route needs to revert to 30mph.

But Mr Griffiths stressed the benefits of 20mph, saying: “Every single child’s life that’s saved is absolutely invaluable and we need to look at this policy in that context.”