News
Local authority receives 300 requests to scrap 20mph limit on some roads
Anthony Lewis - Local democracy reporter
There have been more than 300 requests in one Welsh county borough to change the speed limits of local roads following the introduction of the Welsh Government’s 20mph default.
A total of 313 requests were made by residents and organisations in Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) to change speed limits, according to a report for the council’s climate change, frontline services, and prosperity committee.
RCT had one of the highest rates of 30mph exceptions applied across Wales implementing 84 including 18 in the Rhondda, 16 in Cynon, and 50 in Taff, figures show.
Tim Phillips, RCT Council’s temporary head of traffic and transportation services, told the committee that, at this point in time, a large proportion of roads would stay at 20mph which is something that is also coming from other authorities who are more advanced in the process.
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Exceptions
But he said it’s too early to tell how it would play out in RCT but he suspects they’re not going to see a huge change.
There are two main elements to deciding on exceptions to the 20mph default speed limit which include active travel opportunities and location in relation to things like schools, hospitals and residential areas.
In July 2022 the Welsh Government passed the Restricted Roads (20mph speed limit) (Wales) Order.
The committee heard from Mr Phillips that figures show there has been a 15% decrease in collisions on the network across Wales since the default limit was rolled out in September 2023.
Councils are responsible for the traffic regulation orders (TROs) for any exceptions and physical changes such as signs and lines.
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Signs
The council has removed 3,140 signs, installed in excess of 2,000 new ones, and hundreds of gateways have either been removed or installed.
There will be a six-stage review process around the requests for speed limits to be changed.
These include a sift of requests, a review of requests, publishing the review of requests and starting the TRO process before a decision is finally made.
A petition of over 500,000 people was submitted to the Welsh Government in 2023 calling for the controversial 20mph policy to be scrapped.
Ministers later commissioned a review team to challenge how the 20mph was implemented and how exceptions have been applied by councils.
Revised guidance was then published in July last year.
The Welsh Government has committed to funding the cost of the scheme and a further bid for funding for 2025-26 of £405,000 has been submitted.
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