Another 13,500 caught speeding in 20mph zones

The default 20mph speed limit applies to 37% of the road network in Wales

Another 13,500 drivers were caught speeding on 20mph roads in Wales last month.

The average speed for motorists to face enforcement action was just over 28mph, but the highest one caught was doing 85mph in north Wales, according to the latest GoSafe data for September.

About 43% of motorists who are caught attend speed awareness courses.

Nearly 25,000 vehicles were monitored in September, and 95% were found to be driving at 25mph or less, which means they will not face action.

So far since enforcement action started, more than 52,000 drivers have been caught going beyond the speed threshold of 26mph and above.

Meanwhile, journeys are taking longer on most routes on 20mph roads in Wales, according to newly-published analysis.

Transport for Wales said generally motorists are facing two minutes added to journey times.

The body also said there was now less variability on most journeys involving 20mph roads, meaning greater certainty in how long it will take.

A total of 60 monitor points along 15 routes across Wales were analysed between February and April, avoiding holiday periods and weekends.

These ranged from a 5km (3.1m) journey from Wrexham Maelor to Coedpoeth, to a 61km (37.9m) journey between Aberystwyth and Cardigan.

The data showed:

• An increase in average journey times at 55 of the 60 monitor points

• Almost all increased by less than two minutes, and more than half by less than a minute

• The biggest change to journey time was an extra three minutes between Aberystwyth and Cardigan at evening peak – but this was a considerably longer route than the others and the journey was already just over an hour

• The biggest proportional rise was a 10% additional journey time between Blaenavon and Pontypool during the morning, from 14 and a half minutes to 16 minutes

• Ar 50 out of 60 monitor points, there was less variability in the journey time than at the same points before the 20mph policy came in.

The report confirmed earlier published figures that 58% of vehicles were being driven at or below 24mph and that average speeds had fallen 4.3mph on 20mph main through roads since last September.

However, data on whether the new default speed limit - introduced just over a year ago - was having an impact on air quality was still inconclusive when NO2, or nitrogen dioxide, readings were compared.