Plans for 20mph speed limit in residential areas in Wales backed by Senedd

Plans to introduce a 20mph speed limit on residential streets in Wales have passed the first hurdle.

Lee Waters, the Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport, set up a task force last year to look at changing the default 30mph limit – with the subject discussed at FMQ’s last year.

A report published yesterday cites “overwhelming evidence” that lower speeds result in fewer collisions and a reduction in serious injuries.

The report states:

There is overwhelming evidence that lower speeds result in fewer collisions and a reduced severity of injuries; and consistent evidence that casualties are reduced when 20mph limits are introduced. It should be noted that these benefits are achieved even when average speeds do not drop to 20mph – any speed reduction leads to a positive outcome. Speed reductions are expected to increase over time as people become accustomed to the lower limits and slower driving is normalised. Public opinion is likely to support the change

The proposals have now passed an initial vote in the Senedd with 45 votes for, six against and two abstentions.

Mr Waters said the Welsh Government planned to implement the change by 2023.

A consultation will need to take place on the changes before a further vote to implement them in full.

The report talks about steps needed if it is rolled out, including “Lowering traffic speeds in urban areas should be seen as a major behaviour change project. This will require a sophisticated communications and marketing strategy based on building social unacceptability for speeding in residential areas, and backed up with strong enforcement in the early stages. ”

Previously we have written how such communication efforts have taken place by Welsh Government, including the campaign around the change in law for organ donation in Wales conducted over the course of a 6 year period and at a total cost of £4.08 million and the second hand smoking in cars campaign ran for a total of 2 years and 1 month, from 2012-2015, at a cost of £1.75 million.

The report also contains an overview timeline of milestones that puts last night in context of the steps before it becomes a likely reality :

• Publication of Task Force Report – July 2020
• Ministerial Statement giving the intention to proceed & Plenary Vote to take forward the legislation – July 2020
• Pass Statutory Instrument – October 2021
• Commencement of Statutory Instrument – April 2023

Welsh Government will also be inviting local authorities to express interest in being part of a Pilot Settlements Project to make an early start on the development and refinement of the various processes needed to implement wide-area 20mph limits and to capture and collate a comprehensive data set to evaluate the impacts of the 20mph nationwide programme.