20mph: Wales first UK nation to drop speed limit from 30mph

[weeksy]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-66774379

Wales has become the first country in the UK to reduce speed limits in built-up areas from 30mph to 20mph in Wales from Sunday.

Welsh ministers said a 20mph (32km/h) limit would reduce deaths and noise and encourage people to walk or cycle but it has caused controversy with some drivers.

The United Nations, environmental and road safety groups have backed the move but opposing politicians declared it a "war on motorists".

Wales' first minister said it would "keep people from losing their lives".

"It's going to take you a minute longer to make your journey, and we will save 10 people's lives in Wales every year as a result of that one minute contribution - it doesn't seem an unfair bargain," said Mark Drakeford.

The law will change the speed limit on about 35% of Welsh roads where lamp-posts are no more than 200 yards (183m) apart.

[Felix]

Been 20 up here for a couple of years. If anything it makes cyclists less annoying (Just) but some roads needed to be left alone. If you want clean air in your city/town then i cant see why keeping the petrol/diesel running engines in your town longer will help. Councils have been trying to get drivers out the cars and use public transport or walk for years and failed. Town centre shops in my town can now piss off. Between the 20 and new parking restrictions ill just use the out of town shopping centres from now on

[gremlin]

The Motorcar Act of 1903 set a speed limit of 20mph. I fear that as a nation we have stopped progressing.

It ain't just Wales either: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-66785653

From that article, "The Met Police is understood to be on course to meet its goal, set out at the start of last year, of tackling one million speeding offences by 2024-25.

The force enforced about 620,000 speeding offences committed in 2022-23, an increase of 35% compared with the previous year."

And yet the Home Secretary has to prod the Bill into investigating every break in. Priorities?

[Ditchfinder]

[Count Steer]

My local Councillor wants to make our 'main' street 20 and gives all the 'injuries to pedestrians at 20 yadda yadda'. I'm going to ask him how many accidents there have been involving pedestrians and cars travelling between 20 and 30 mph (over 30 doesn't count - it's against the law anyway) in recent years. ie how big is the problem he's addressing? (I know the answer and it's 0). It's a bandwagon thing. You're lucky if you can do 30 on it anyway.

[Greenman]

My local Councillor wants to make our 'main' street 20 and gives all the 'injuries to pedestrians at 20 yadda yadda'. I'm going to ask him how many accidents there have been involving pedestrians and cars travelling between 20 and 30 mph (over 30 doesn't count - it's against the law anyway) in recent years. ie how big is the problem he's addressing? (I know the answer and it's 0). It's a bandwagon thing. You're lucky if you can do 30 on it anyway.

It's been 20mph in most built up areas here in Bristol for years, our mental old major intruduced it as he lived in the centre and only cycled!

I very rarely see anyone actually sticking to it though, most people still do around 30/35 in the 20mph zones, the limit is rarely enforced, and as you state, the roads are in such a bad state that it's not too easy to even do the 30/35mph anyway, especially as 75% of the roads also have fucking speed ramps on them. The irony is normally they make the speed ramps so low it doesn't even make you slow down but then have to slow down for a 3ft pot hole between the ramps, it really is comical!

[cheb]

The Motorcar Act of 1903 set a speed limit of 20mph. I fear that as a nation we have stopped progressing.

It ain't just Wales either: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-66785653

From that article, "The Met Police is understood to be on course to meet its goal, set out at the start of last year, of tackling one million speeding offences by 2024-25.

The force enforced about 620,000 speeding offences committed in 2022-23, an increase of 35% compared with the previous year."

And yet the Home Secretary has to prod the Bill into investigating every break in. Priorities?

But investigating break ins won't save 10 lives a year.

[gremlin]

My local Councillor wants to make our 'main' street 20 and gives all the 'injuries to pedestrians at 20 yadda yadda'. I'm going to ask him how many accidents there have been involving pedestrians and cars travelling between 20 and 30 mph (over 30 doesn't count - it's against the law anyway) in recent years. ie how big is the problem he's addressing? (I know the answer and it's 0). It's a bandwagon thing. You're lucky if you can do 30 on it anyway.

Read the numbers, Kitten-killer:
"According to data collected in the central London congestion zone area from May 2020 to June 2022, the number of crashes fell by 25% compared with before the limits were introduced, TfL said.

The number of collisions resulting in death or serious injury decreased by 24%."

I'm not saying 'Lies, damed lies and statistics', but I ride through a number of 20mph zones. I can say without any fear of contradiction that people bimble along at 30-ish, then slow down to 20 for the cameras, then bimble back up to 30-ish straight away. How this has resulted in such a drop in accidents is beyond me.

[gremlin]

But investigating break ins won't save 10 lives a year.

If we start clubbing >10 burglars to death per year, will they switch priorities?

[Dodgy69]

Well...if it saves a few lives each year, then it's probably not worth it.

[gremlin]

Mate of mine up in Stockport has just bought a BMW M1000R. He was telling me at the weekend how he plans to take a trip to Wales once the first service is done. Maybe he hasn't been watching the news.

(He rides like a complete loon anyway, so knocking 10mph off the limit will have zero impact on his two-wheeled lunacy)

[MrLongbeard]

If the Welsh want to listen to the glorious rumble of 114 cubic inches as I blip the throttle for an extra minute as I ride through their towns who am I to argue

[Count Steer]

My local Councillor wants to make our 'main' street 20 and gives all the 'injuries to pedestrians at 20 yadda yadda'. I'm going to ask him how many accidents there have been involving pedestrians and cars travelling between 20 and 30 mph (over 30 doesn't count - it's against the law anyway) in recent years. ie how big is the problem he's addressing? (I know the answer and it's 0). It's a bandwagon thing. You're lucky if you can do 30 on it anyway.

Read the numbers, Kitten-killer:
"According to data collected in the central London congestion zone area from May 2020 to June 2022, the number of crashes fell by 25% compared with before the limits were introduced, TfL said.

The number of collisions resulting in death or serious injury decreased by 24%."

I'm not saying 'Lies, damed lies and statistics', but I ride through a number of 20mph zones. I can say without any fear of contradiction that people bimble along at 30-ish, then slow down to 20 for the cameras, then bimble back up to 30-ish straight away. How this has resulted in such a drop in accidents is beyond me.

Yebbut...I don't live in Central London.

Greenman...the road is in good condition and no road humps. However, the busiest stretch (where people tend to cross by the Village shop) has cars parked along one side so it's all a bit 'after you Claude'. The other bit with the infant school has a lollipop lady when kids are going to and leaving school.

I'd say the average vehicle speed is already <25mph.

[Noggin]

[Noggin]

They reduced the main roads here from 90kph to 80kph a few years ago. From what I've read, a lot of areas are putting it back up to 90

It's still only 50mph so feels dog slow!! And because it's so slow I still forget that some very wide open straight roads are only 80kmph Gotta be more careful now I have a Fronch licence

[Noggin]

and -

Stolen from elsewhere regarding Wales new income revenue scheme starting tomorrow:

There seems to be some significant confusion here in Wales ahead of tomorrow's Speed Limit change and so, I thought I would help by briefly explaining how the change works so that there can be no confusion:

Any roads that were previously 30 will now be 20 apart from the roads that aren't going to be 20, which will still remain as 30.

When you see street lights you have to assume that the roads will be 20 even if the signs still say 30 because despite the signs saying 30, the roads could be 20, apart from, of course, the roads (as explained above) which will remain 30 despite them being 20.

It's also important to remember that there will still be a number of roads which despite them having streetlights will not be 20, and in these cases they could be 30, 40, 50, 60 or even 70, however, always bear in mind that even if the signs on these roads still state 30 they could, of course, be 20 unless they are one of the roads that have been designated 30, in which case the 20 restriction will not apply.

I trust that clarifies. It's really not difficult.

[Noggin]

Ok, last one!! Promise!!!

I am kinda glad that, although the limits overall are lower out here, I no longer do Sunday mornings in Wales. Cos that would seriously mess up a morning's ride! We did always respect the 30's, less so the rest

[McNab]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-66774379

Wales has become the first country in the UK to reduce speed limits in built-up areas from 30mph to 20mph in Wales from Sunday.

Welsh ministers said a 20mph (32km/h) limit would reduce deaths and noise and encourage people to walk or cycle but it has caused controversy with some drivers.

The United Nations, environmental and road safety groups have backed the move but opposing politicians declared it a "war on motorists".

Wales' first minister said it would "keep people from losing their lives".

"It's going to take you a minute longer to make your journey, and we will save 10 people's lives in Wales every year as a result of that one minute contribution - it doesn't seem an unfair bargain," said Mark Drakeford.

The law will change the speed limit on about 35% of Welsh roads where lamp-posts are no more than 200 yards (183m) apart.

Hmmm, so if my journey is one mile, it will only add one minute to my journey time and if my journey is one hundred miles, it will also only add one minute to my journey time?

How does that work then?

[Cousin Jack]

Cornwall Council has started the process of converting most 30 limits to 20. Most locals ignore the 30s anyway, so I am not expecting much change except for an increase in council tax to pay for the new signs.

[Mr Moofo]

It has been 20 mph in the Green Republic of Brighton for several years. That said the council made some completely fuck witted changes to the coast road and the main road out of Brighton wrt cycle lanes, so no-one can travel on any of the major roads at 20 MPH - it just means they all travel at higher speeds down side roads and once they get out of B&H.

The issue when it first came into place was that safety cameras couldn't measure that low. Now, i am sure that was an old wives tail ....