A view from Plaid Cymru’s North Wales Member of the Senedd

Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd to write a monthly article with updates on their work in their respective Parliaments and closer to home – you can find them all here. ​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​

In this month’s column Llyr Gruffydd MS writes:

The lower speed limits in built-up areas throughout Wales has demonstrated the importance of real consultation and better communication.

The 20mph limit has been a long time in the making, ever since David Melding, a Tory AM, first proposed the measure in 2018. The introduction of the lower limits on September 17th has met with varying degrees of responses, in part due to the way local councils have implemented exemptions.

Swansea council, for example, has introduced more than 150 exemptions – more than all the north Wales councils put together. By contrast Wrexham Council has maintained the 30mph on just 9 roads – a total of three miles.

I’m all for councils throughout Wales having more flexibility – for example, their ability to make exemptions should not be limited to A roads and B roads only – but it does appear that the exemptions to the new speed limits vary drastically due to the approaches taken by individual councils.

That’s one reason why Plaid Cymru moved an amendment in a Senedd debate recently to continuously review the impact of the new limits as they bed in and to work with councils to make any necessary changes as they emerge.

My priority is to save lives on our roads and minimise accidents and injuries. The evidence from countries such as Spain (who adopted its equivalent policy some years ago) shows it will make a significant difference. It has also been shown that the policy will save the NHS in Wales £92m every year whilst also freeing up ambulances and other emergency services at a time when they’re already overstretched.

Given that the policy is now live it will, no doubt, take a little time for things to settle. I have no doubt that eventually some roads will be changed back to 30mph over time.

Had there been a more meaningful consultation with local residents and their representatives at community level, I believe many of the anomalies that are causing the biggest problems could have been avoided.

Colleagues who have asked why Wrexham Council opted to make key arterial roads such as Mold Rd, Cefn Rd, Chester Rd and Holt Rd 20mph have been told that they could be future active travel routes. While supporting the idea of increasing cycling and walking, these are still schemes in search of funding and it seems to be a case of the stick being introduced before the carrot of greener alternatives.

I have therefore urged the Government to work with local authorities to ensure that those roads where 20mph isn’t considered necessary, particularly on the outskirts of towns and villages, are reverted to 30mph and here is a link to my contribution to the debate