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New country-wide 20mph speed limit introduced in Wales
20 September 2023
On September 17 2023, a country-wide 20mph speed limit for built up areas was imposed in Wales.
Local authorities retain the power to make exemptions and put the limit back to 30mph where it is proven safe to drive at a higher speed. This means that, as it stands, the new law affects about 3 per cent of roads in Wales.
Importantly, because it will be the new national speed limit, 20mph road traffic signs will be removed, except where the limit has been changed back to 30mph. Therefore, drivers must be especially mindful of their speed and surroundings.
Motorists have also been warned not to rely on satnav devices to indicate the new speed limit, as many GPS firms have stated that map updates may not be immediate and therefore the old, 30mph limit may be shown incorrectly.
A good trick for recognising 20mph speed limits without signage is to look out for streetlights, which indicate that the national speed limit applies (except on motorways).
You can view a full map of 20mph roads in Wales here.
In terms of penalties, police say that response will be ‘proportionate and reasonable’ whilst drivers acclimate to the new speed limit. Drivers who are pulled over for speeding in 20mph zones may initially be spoken to about the dangers and risks of speeding and sent on their way at the officer’s discretion.
After twelve months, however, drivers will be automatically issued with a £100 minimum fine and three penalty points on their driving licence if they are caught exceeding the limit.
The speed limit reduction is part of an attempt to reduce road collisions, noise and air pollution and encourage people to walk or cycle. It comes after the latest official figures showed that there were more deaths and serious injuries resulting from crashes in 30mph zones than other speed limit in Wales last year (40 per cent of all crashes).
A spokesperson for Brake, the road safety charity said, "If you're struck by a car travelling at 30mph the risk of dying is five times greater than if the car was travelling at 20mph".
In light of this, the Welsh government expressed that the £32.5m cost of implementing the new speed limit was ‘outweighed’ by a significantly reduced impact on the NHS and emergency services, estimated to save £92m a year.
Furthermore, it is believed that the impact of the new speed limit on journey times will be relatively minor, adding less than one minute on average.
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