Welsh highway authorities face ‘challenging decisions’ as they review requests for some roads to be exempt from the country’s 20mph default speed limit, council leaders have said.
Following a ‘National Listening Programme’ and the publication of revised Welsh Government guidance for highway authorities, authorities are reviewing feedback ‘to ensure 20mph is targeted on the right roads’.
Cllr Andrew Morgan, chair of the Welsh Local Government Association, said: ‘Local authorities welcome the further funding and support offered by the Welsh Government to get the right speeds on the right roads but are faced with challenging decisions.
‘We will need to carefully balance the benefits and disbenefits of raising speeds. Safety of all road users will be at the heart of the decisions we take.’
Officials said the first two phases of a three-phase plan announced by Mr Skates (pictured) in the spring are now complete.
Welsh Government transport minister Ken Skates stressed that a 20mph speed limit is ‘right where people live, work and play’ as he set out the ‘next steps’ of a review of the default limit on the anniversary of its introduction roughly a year ago.
Welsh government officials pointed out that if councils decide to change the speed limit on an individual road, a statutory Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) process will commence, ‘providing a further opportunity for engagement with local people’.
Mr Skates said: ‘I want to build from the broad consensus that 20mph is right where people live, work and play – this is about getting the right speeds on the right roads.
‘I’m pleased that local authorities are starting to move into the final stages of the plan. This will move at different paces in different places, according to local circumstances and the amount of feedback received.’
Some councils are now publishing information on the amount of feedback received and the next steps.
The BBC said councils have received more than 10,500 requests to consider changing about 1,500 stretches of road back to 30mph.
It said by far the most requests were in Newport, where there were 500 appeals from residents for 334 locations to go back to 30mph.
A spokesperson told Highways that the council had received comments from people in support of retaining 20mph as well as comments asking for changes.
