Drivers call for 70mph to return on reduced M4 sections as petition gathers support

Amelia Jones

A petition urging the restoration of the 70mph speed limit on 50mph sections of the M4 in Wales has attracted growing attention online.

The petition, titled "Return all the M4 to the 70mph speed limit, in Wales. Remove all lower speed limits forced on us", urges the Welsh Government to scrap reduced speed limits on the motorway and re-instate the national speed limit across the entire route.

The petition specifically refers to the 50mph limit in Port Talbot, which was put in place in December 2018 in an attempt to cut nitrogen dioxide emissions.

This decision was made in response to the High Court ordering ministers to act after they failed to meet EU targets on air pollution.

The 50mph limits were enforced at the M4 Port Talbot, M4 Newport, A470 Pontypridd, A483 Wrexham and A494 Deeside.

The Welsh Government said: "We have a legal duty to comply with air pollutant limits for the protection of human health. Outdoor air pollution is recognised by the World Health Organisation as the biggest environmental risk to health."

However, critics argue the restrictions have led to longer journey times, driver frustration, and increased congestion during peak hours.

The petition reads: "The OVERWHELMING MAJORITY believe the Port Talbot 50mph is not required. This is likewise with the 50mph brought in around Newport. It is stiffling [sic] our ability to travel freely and causing unnecessary 'snarl ups'.

"The Government is here to serve the people and better their lives. This is a reduced speed limit, that is neither wanted or required. Modern cars are able to travel very safely with far superior braking distances to older cars when 70mph was the standard motorway speed limit."

The petition follows years of frustration over traffic congestion along these sections of the motorway.

Many motorists have taken to social media to voice their anger, frequently pointing to slow-moving traffic and lengthy delays.

One Facebook user wrote: "Just crawled through 50mph zone Port Talbot M4. Could not get over 20mph due to volume of traffic. How does it save air quality? Once through traffic all spread out going at normal speed. Well normal for Wales."

Official figures also highlight the scale of speeding along the M4. The westbound stretch at Port Talbot recorded 1,526 speeding offences last year, placing it among the top 20 locations for speeding in Wales.

The section is monitored by fixed speed cameras and has long been a focus for enforcement due to high traffic volumes and ongoing safety concerns.

Data compiled by Legal Expert in 2025, using South Wales Police figures, shows that the force issued 96,368 Notices of Intended Prosecution (NIPs) in 2024/25, equating to more than £9.6 million in potential fines.

The petition closes on 31 January, with a goal of 10,000 signatures.

When asked for comment, the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport, Ken Skates MS, said: “The 50mph limits were introduced to help reduce harmful nitrogen dioxide levels, and annual monitoring shows improvements since their introduction.

"We are currently reviewing the limits across the five trunk road locations in Wales.

“However, there are no plans to remove or amend the 50mph limit between M4 Junctions 24 and 28, as this was implemented on the recommendation of the South East Wales Transport Commission to support better traffic flow on this section of the network.”

You can view the petition here.