A county in Wales has made the bold decision to reject calls to increase average speed limits on more than 100 roads despite backlash from motorists.
Monmouthshire County Council has announced that it will keep 20mph as the default speed limit on 143 roads identified by drivers who thought 30mph was more appropriate.
Catrin Maby, Monmouthshire County Council's cabinet member for climate change and the environment, said the top priority of the local authority was the safety of all road users.
A statement from the council said it had assessed the identified roads against the Welsh Government's 30mph exemptions guidance which backed protections for pedestrians and cyclists.
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The council said it would keep a 20mph speed limit on almost all roads identified through a consultation
PA
It added: "The council has concluded that no further changes are required, and all roads currently set at 20mph should remain."
The four roads that will change include the B4245 through Magor, Undy, Rogiet, and Caldicot; Hereford Road, Abergavenny; A4143, Abergavenny; and A4077 Abergavenny Road and Cae Meldon, Gilwern.
The consultation received 1,500 responses from local residents and saw the council compare evidence from locals and guidance from the Welsh Government.
Ken Skates, Welsh Secretary for Transport and North Wales, announced changes to the national 20mph scheme last September on the one-year anniversary of the measures in action.
He announced that certain amendments would be made to ensure that road safety is the priority following mass backlash from motorists across the country.
The decision was met with condemnation and a record-breaking petition which saw more than 469,000 people support calls to remove the "disastrous" 20mph law, which became the most popular petition in Senedd history.
Skates said the Government had listened to the concerns of motorists through a Listening Programme and a partnership with highway authorities to create revised guidance.
As part of the new measures, the Labour Government is looking to ensure that 20mph speed limits are applied to the right roads, namely where people live, work and play.
He said: "Once this review is complete, if highway authorities decide to adjust speed limits on specific roads, they will commence the process of making statutory Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs), providing another opportunity for public engagement.
"This will ensure that decisions remain transparent and that communities continue to be involved in these local choices at every stage."
He thanked local authorities across the country for their cooperation with the new guidance, adding that the pace of progress would vary in different areas.
The MS for Clwyd South concluded that he was confident Wales would ensure that the right speeds were set on the right roads.
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The 20mph speed limit rollout across the UK was met with intense backlash from drivers
GETTYWales became the first country to introduce default 20mph speed limits on residential roads across the UK, although Scotland is expected to follow suit later this year.
The Scottish Government outlined that it would implement 20mph speed limits on roads where pedestrians and drivers may mix by the end of the year where appropriate.
