Wales brings in max 20mph speed limit for roads near homes and schools

Wales has become the first country in the UK to reduce its maximum speed limits from 30mph to 20mph in residential areas - where there are homes and schools nearby.

Welsh ministers said the 20mph limit would make roads safer, reduce noise and encourage people to walk or cycle more.

But not everyone agrees with the decision because they feel it is unfair on drivers who will face longer journey times.

The Welsh government said the impact on journey time would be "small", with drivers taking less than one minute extra, on average per trip.

"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," Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford said.

The hope is the 20mph speed limit brought in on Sunday 17th September will mean fewer serious injuries from road accidents and one study has suggested the health service could save £92m a year as a result.

Changing the maximum speed limit has cost the Welsh government about £32.5m, but ministers believe the cost will be "outweighed" by the reduced impact on NHS and emergency services.

Are all 30mph roads in Wales changing to 20mph?

All residential roads in Wales will be switched to a default 20mph speed limit from Sunday 17 September

About 3% of 30mph roads will not reduce their speed limits, because local councils have argued a special case.

The Welsh government has told councils that exemptions - exceptions to the 20mph rule - can be made where "strong evidence exists that higher speeds are safe".

Why are some people unhappy with the plan?

The UK government's House of Commons leader, Penny Mordaunt, called the new 20mph limit "insane"

When the Labour-led government in Wales asked the public what they thought of the plan it found more people were against the speed limit change than for it.

The government's own research even suggested it could have a negative impact on Wales' economy.

The Welsh Conservatives said they were in favour of a 20mph limit outside schools, hospitals and care homes - but called the universal rollout "disastrous, frankly ludicrous and a war on motorists".

Penny Mordaunt, The Conservative leader of the House of Commons, called the new 20mph default limit in Wales "insane" and said it was "punishing" motorists.

'Employers need to be understanding'

Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford says longer journey times are worth it because it will "save lives"

Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford said the change "will take time for people to get used to".

"Once it's bedded in, I think people will look back and ask themselves why it was we were prepared to tolerate traffic going at excessive speeds in urban areas."

Mr Drakeford asked employers to take into account the new speed limit for workers in the social care and delivery industries to do their job "in a way that allows them to do it within the law".

Where else has 20mph speed limits?

Spain changed its speed limits from 30km/h to 20km/h in 2021 for one-way roads in towns and cities

The UK's first 20mph zone was introduced in Tinsley, Sheffield in 1991.

Now many UK counties, towns and cities have 20mph limits on some of their residential roads, often near schools.

Wales follows Spain, which made a similar change in 2021, lowering the speed limit from 30km/h to 20km/h on one-way roads in towns and cities.

Road safety group Brake has called for the 20mph limit to be extended to England, but the UK government has ruled that out.

Scotland is still considering whether to adopt Wales' decision.

Who supports the 20mph speed limit?

The United Nations (UN) wants 20mph or 30 km/h (18.6mph) speed limits to be normal for all cities, towns and villages worldwide, while the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) has encouraged wider use of 20mph limits.

A group of Welsh and UK-wide organisations - like Friends of the Earth Cymru, Action for Children and Sustrans Cymru - have supported the "huge contribution towards fairer streets and more liveable communities".

The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) said Wales' lower speed limit was "a win-win", adding: "Wales deserves a massive pat on the back for being one of the first countries in the world to make this change on a national level."