Have your say on which roads DON’T need a 20mph limit
PUBLIC VIEWS SOUGHT ON EXCEPTIONS AHEAD OF SEPTEMBER CHANGE
Councils in Anglesey and Gwynedd are seeking public feedback as they gear up for 20mph speed limits coming in. The Welsh Government is introducing a default speed limit of 20mph on restricted roads in Wales from September 17, 2023.
Many roads will be reduced from 30mph to 20mph, although there will be exceptions. A restricted road is considered to be one with street lighting not more than 200 yards apart, where the speed is usually restricted to 30 mph.
The new default speed limit will be 20mph. The decision is thought to be a global first for Wales, and has divided opinion.
The plans have been criticised by Welsh Conservatives who have argued it could impact on residents and businesses in North Wales. But the Labour Welsh Government said it is making the changes to “reduce the number of collisions and serious injuries, encourage more people to walk and cycle, help improve health and well-being, make streets safer and protect the environment for future generations”.
Local authorities and trunk road agencies are now engaging with communities to decide which roads should remain at 30mph. Anglesey County Council and Cyngor Gwynedd are both keen to hear residents’ views ahead of the changes.
An Anglesey Council spokesperson said: “In July 2022 the Welsh Government passed legislation to lower the default speed limit on restricted roads h to 20mph. This will come into force on the September 17, 2023.
“In some locations, a 20mph speed limit will not be appropriate and the 30mph speed limit can remain on the basis of an ‘exceptions’ process, based on criteria established by the Welsh Government and Transport for Wales. Exceptions can be introduced via Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO).
“Anglesey Council has reviewed guidance and criteria provided by Transport for Wales and has identified locations of proposed 20mph exceptions. We are currently engaging with community and town councils to get their initial feedback.
“We will look to publish a map outlining what is being recommended on our local road network in the coming weeks, using the Welsh Government’s DataMapWales portal.”
“As part of the TRO process, we will also be consulting with the wider public to gather their views in order to ascertain the suitability of the locations of proposed 20mph exceptions. More details about this exercise will be shared shortly.”
A Cyngor Gwynedd spokesperson said: “We have engaged with community and town councils to get their initial comments and we will publish a map outlining what is being recommended in the coming weeks. We will be keen to receive comments from residents on the 20mph plans and will be sharing details about this exercise shortly.”
Details are available on the Welsh Government website.
A map on DataMapWales will show roads affected by the changes.