Wales is to drop its controversial blanket 20mph speed limit in a humiliating about-turn for Labour’s flagship roads policy.
The devolved nation brought in slower restrictions in September in a bid to improve road safety, making it the default speed limit everywhere.
But the former Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford quickly came under fire for what opponents labelled an “anti-motorist agenda”. Alongside a lack of investment in roads and poor public transport, the move was said to be slowing the country down.
But now Ken Skates, the devolved administration’s new Transport Secretary, announced that the process of reverting some roads to 30mph will begin in September.
He urged people to contact their local councils to suggest streets where the change should be targeted but insisted the 20mph policy remained, claiming that it was just being “refined”.
“The Welsh Government continues to believe that 20mph is the right speed limit in places such as near schools, hospitals, nurseries, community centres, play areas and in built-up residential areas,” he told the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament.
“What I am doing now is listening to what people want for the roads in their communities, and pressing ahead with refining the policy and getting the right speed on the right roads.”
He added: “It’ll be up to councils to decide which routes and how many routes change back.”
Welsh Conservative shadow transport minister Natasha Asghar said Mr Skates should have gone further and scrapped 20mph limits altogether.
“The bottom line is that after all of Labour’s talk about listening to the Welsh people, the default speed limit across Wales will remain 20mph,” she said.
“Nothing has changed to everyone inside and outside of Wales.
“Instead of making councils clean up the mess of this daft, divisive and destructive policy, it should be scrapped in its entirety, so common sense can prevail and 20mph remains where it is needed such as outside schools, play areas, high streets, places of worship etc.”
