Drivers in Wales fork out millions in ‘barmy’ 20mph speed limit fines - 'Let common sense prevail!'

In North Wales, drivers were fined 5,199 penalties in July compared to zero in January and only eight in March.

Motorists caught speeding could face a minimum fine of £100 with drivers paying roughly £1.1million in fines this year alone.

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The fines come after the Welsh Government mandated the nationwide 20mph speed limit across the country, which came into effect in September last year.

Since then, there have been mass protests from drivers who have called for an end to the mandatory speed limits rolled out by the Labour Government.

As a result, the Senedd stated in July that it would give local authorities the power to reverse the 20mph limit if they think it's necessary.

Andrew RT Davies, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said: “The explosion in the number of 20mph offences in Wales shows how flawed this barmy policy is.”

He added: “While nobody should be excused for breaking the law, since the introduction of the default 20mph many motorists are left baffled by speed limits that vary from one moment to the next.

“When you look at the average offence speed, it does suggest that some people are unsure what speed they should be doing.

“The Welsh Conservatives would let common sense prevail and scrap Labour’s default 20mph speed limit.”

The Restricted Roads order was made by the Welsh Ministers on July 13, 2022, and came into force on September 17, 2023.

The Senedd detailed: “When considering whether a local speed limit can be set, highway authorities should weigh up the potential benefits and disbenefits of raising the speed limit.”

This includes looking at the disbenefits of the higher speeds, such as increased casualties and severity of injuries, noise and perceived risk compared with the benefits of reduced travel times, potential economic savings, and increased efficiency.

Local authorities looking to turn speeds back to 30mph should also consider how roads are “essential corridors for movement”, and safe reductions in vehicle travel times “can yield significant social, economic, and operational benefits”.

However, evaluating these benefits requires careful consideration of the route's importance and expected journey time savings for drivers.

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Earlier this month, Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan shared in an interview that the country would look to remove the speed limit in areas that weren't considered essential.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Morgan said: “I’m very clear that around schools, hospitals, built-up areas, playgrounds, it should be 20. I think there needs to be a conversation with the public about what’s appropriate.”

While the lower speed limits were in place the number of cases where people have been killed or seriously injured on roads in Wales fell to 78 in the first three months of 2024. This compared to 101 incidents recorded in the first three months of 2023.