Speed limit rule changes ignored by drivers as the law changes again
New speed limit changes in Wales will be slowly axed with many roads soon to return to 30mph under a major new ruling.
Wales' controversial speed limit changes may have been ignored by motorists because drivers felt the rule was “inappropriate”, according to new data.
Breakdown group and car insurance specialiasts at the RAC stressed the effectiveness of the limits were “undermined” as a new poll showed half of motorists took action into their own hands.
Wales became the first country to introduce blanket 20mph speed limits on restricted roads last September.
However, the move has proved unpopular with politicians already performing a U-turn on the move for a more altered down scheme.
The updates will see some 30mph limits return with 20mph restrictions remaining in place around congested areas such as schools.
According to a new poll, a staggering 50 percent of road users who break speed limit rules across the UK admitted they did so because they felt the rule was “inappropriate”.
RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “This decision will please a great many drivers in Wales, but it’s a shame so many roads that should have always remained at 30mph were unnecessarily converted to 20mph.
“More public money now needs to be spent changing signs back at a time when funds are already stretched.
“We are very supportive of 20mph limits being implemented in places where there’s a greater presence of pedestrians and cyclists as they are proven to reduce road casualties, but when used on roads that are clearly better suited to 30mph, there’s a risk drivers don’t obey the limit and their effectiveness is undermined.
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“Among those who admit to speeding on 20mph roads, RAC research shows half (50 percent) of drivers say they do so because they feel the limit is inappropriate. This compares to just 28 percent of drivers who say they exceed the 30mph limit for the same reason."
The move comes after almost 500,000 individuals signed a petition demanding the 20mph rule was scrapped.
Campaigners claimed their main concern was that officials had apparently “failed” to produce convincing evidence for making the change.
The decision to revert certain roads back to 30mph is expected to cost between £3million and £5million.
This week, transport minister Ken Skates confirmed councils will be able to adjust speed limits on certain roads from September.
The process of changing the speed limits is then predicted to take around three months to complete.
He explained: “We’ve started by listening. I have been clear in all my conversations that we will put communities at the heart of our thinking and will listen to people.
“As I have already said there is growing consensus on safe speeds in communities that we can build from. We continue to believe 20mph is the right speed limit in places such as near schools, hospitals, nurseries, community centres, play areas and in built-up residential areas.”
However, Conservative shadow transport minister Natasha Aghar hit back at Labour on special media platform X.
She posted: "Labour ministers keep saying they will listen to the public over its flawed 20mph policy. If they are truly planning to listen, then they'll axe the scheme instead of tinkering around the edges! Despite Labour's warm words, nothing is changing!"
