Welsh Conservatives lose vote to scrap 20mph speed limit in Wales

The Welsh Conservatives have a lost a vote to scrap the introduction of a default 20mph speed limit across Wales.

A debate led by the opposition party on Wednesday (13 September) saw Conservative members call once again on the Labour Government to abandon the speed reduction.

Wales is just days away from introducing a default 20mph speed limit on most residential roads, transitioning from the current 30mph.

This change, set to take effect on Sunday, September 17, will make Wales the first in the UK to adopt such a measure.

Research shows the 20mph default speed limit could save £92m a year by reducing the number of deaths and injuries.

It could also help to reduce pressure on the NHS from a reduction in injuries from road traffic collisions. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​

Over the first decade, it is estimated a lower speed limit will save up to 100 lives and 20,000 casualties

Natasha Asghar MS, shadow Minister for transport, described the debate as the “last-chance saloon” to put a stop to the rollout of a default 20mph.

She said: “I have absolutely no doubt the number of people up in arms will swell further once Labour’s money-making exercise gets into full swing.

“It’s clear the vast majority are against this costly blanket move, yet the Deputy Minister continues to bury his head in the sand, ignore the legitimate concerns and push forward with these plans.

“What will it take for this Government to admit it’s made a huge mistake with this blanket roll-out and drop the scheme for good?

“Residents, motorists and the Welsh Conservatives aren’t the only ones with legitimate concerns and opposition to this scheme.

“Over the summer, I spoke to a retained firefighter who’s genuinely, seriously worried about the impact that this 20 mph speed limit will have on him being able to get to the fire station in time when he gets a 999 call.

“This will undoubtedly lead to longer response times for emergency service.”

Welsh Conservative Gareth Davies, who represents the Vale of Clwyd, said the 20mph speed limit in his constituency could lead to “adverse effects to local businesses, footfall and tourism.”

He said: “The reality is, I’m afraid, that most normal people outside of the Cardiff Bay bubble reject this authoritarian policy from the Cardiff Labour Government and would like to see the restoration of 30mph and a common sense approach that most people can accept and understand.”

However an amendment to the Welsh Conservative motion to repeal the 20mph speed limit was put forward by Plaid Cymru, with the party instead calling for the Welsh Government to “continuously review the impact of new limits, empower local authorities to make any further exemptions and provide local authorities with adequate funding to facilitate the introduction of new limits.”

Party leader Rhun ap Iorwerth MS hit out at the Welsh Conservatives, stating that the party had “chosen to be entirely unreasonable” about the introduction of the new speed limit.

He said: “It’s clear to me that the process of identifying exemptions has identified fewer exemptions than I had expected, but more importantly than that, fewer than most reasonable people perhaps would have expected the length and breadth of Wales.

“And that’s why our amendment calls for communities and local authorities to be supported and empowered to seek further exemptions if that’s what they feel is necessary after practical experience.

“I believe that it would have been better to do this differently—to create 20 mph zones rather than changing 30 mph to 20 mph and then inviting exemptions.

“But that is not what the Labour Government decided to do, so let us now ensure that there is a process in place so that we get to a place where safety truly is the priority and where common sense is given appropriate attention too.”

North Wales MS and Labour politician Carolyn Thomas described the debate as “populist hypocrisy from the Tories to grab headline attention”, adding that the 20mph default speed limit was supported by members of the party in the previous Senedd four years ago.

Carolyn Thomas MS said: “Speeding and highway safety is one of the biggest issues raised with all levels of politicians, especially, I recall, county and community councillors. The policy is not a blanket ban.

“Councils are able to make roads back up to 30 mph based on exceptions criteria.

“20mph will make streets safer for playing, walking, and cycling, encouraging more people to walk or cycle.”

Lee Waters MS, deputy minister for climate change, said: “We will look back in years to come at the claims that have been made, just as we saw with the claims the Conservatives made about the impact of the charge for carrier bags, the introduction of free bus passes for older people, the changes to the laws on smacking children—remember those claims?

“And we will find that their fears are overblown and their claims of calamity just don’t stack up.

“Speed will come down. Fewer people will be killed. Fewer people will have life-changing injuries. The burden on the police and the fire service of attending deadly collisions will ease.

“More people will feel safe in their communities and feel confident to walk and cycle around them.”

The Welsh Conservative motion to repeal the 20mph default limit was overturned by Members of the Senedd, with the Plaid Cymru amendment instead receiving 38 votes in favour and 15 againt.