Furious drivers in a UK town hit by 20mph speed limits have slammed the scheme, saying it causes more problems that it solves.
Buckley was among a number of towns in Wales where the pilot scheme of 20mph speed limits was tested last year.
And now residents have warned against the scheme, which saw all of their 30mph limits reduced to 20mph in March 2022.
The devolved government in Wales, which has now rolled out the scheme across most built-up areas in Wales, insists the aim of the new default limit is to save lives and make communities safer.
The outrage over the pilot scheme last year prompted thousands of furious locals to launch a campaign group titled ‘Buckley 20mph Pilot Scheme Opposition Group’.
Stuart O’Donnell, a member of the campaign group, told NorthWalesLive then that the new speed limits had already caused havoc.
Speaking back in March last year, he said: “We’ve noticed a lot more dangerous driving, near misses and a few accidents.
“We’ve got the cars now going the same sort of speed as bicycles and, believe it or not, some runners.”
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He added: “The blanket approach means here in Buckley there’s something of a three-mile stretch at just that speed.”
Mr O’Donnell said that the scheme was imposed “with hardly any turnout and not a great deal of community input”.
He warned that the scheme, which became law last week, would spark chaos if it was rolled out across Wales.
At the time, Mr O’Donnell said: “This scheme is going to be rolled out across all of Wales in a matter of months.
“We want people to look and realise what it has done to our community already in such a short space of time.
“Imagine what it will be like when everywhere follows suit in bigger areas like Llandudno and Bangor.”
Meanwhile, a petition opposing the new limit has already reached over 400,000 signatures – by far the largest ever received by the Senedd.
The petition was set up by former Labour Party member, Mark Baker, who says he started the petition out of anger that the 20mph speed limit was brought in without fully explaining it to the public.
Earlier today, hundreds turned out in Cardiff to protest against the law.
Protesters also voiced their anger at issues such as Ultra Low Emission Zones (Ulez), Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs), Clean Air Zones (Caz), digital IDs, “cashless societies”, and called for people to “defy the travel lockdown”.
On Friday Welsh Conservatives announced they will table a vote of no confidence against deputy climate change minister Lee Waters, who led the introduction of the new law.
First Minister Mark Drakeford has strongly defended the policy, which was an election manifesto commitment.
A Welsh government spokesperson said: “The introduction of a 20mph speed limit in mainly residential areas is designed to save lives and make our communities safer for everyone, including motorists.
“It has been thoroughly researched, voted on in the Senedd and received the backing from a majority of Senedd members.”
