Huge areas of Welsh capital set to become 20mph zones

HUGE areas of Cardiff are set to become 20mph zones under council proposals.

Dozens of streets in Adamsdown, Splott and Plasnewydd are the latest to be selected as part of the scheme, which is being rolled out across the city.

Reduced-speed zones have already been put in place in Riverside, Canton, Grangetown and Gabalfa as part of the council’s actions to improve the safety of Cardiff’s roads.

But now main roads including City Road, Albany Road and Splott Road could also be included.

Last year Cardiff Council said it cost around £180,000 to introduce 20mph zones in Riverside and Canton.

The authority has previously said the cost of new 20mph zones could be funded through money generated via bus lane fines.

Anna Semlyen, national campaign manager from the 20’s Plenty for Us pressure group, has previously said there would only be benefits from 20mph zones being introduced.

“It’s unbelievable how many benefits there are,” she said.

“If you reduce the risk then people will start to feel they are more able to talk to neighbours or to let their children play.”

Canton councillor Ramesh Patel, chairman of the Environmental Scrutiny Committee, said reducing speed limits across the city would improve public safety, improve the live-ability of streets, and reduce the “attractiveness of using residential streets as short cuts”.

Residents and business owners in the affected areas have until midnight on December 28 to write to the council with any objections.