Welsh 20mph outcome is actually quite impressive

woodenspoon

Casdon

It is- I got caught by community speed watch doing 25 downhill when it first came in. I change down into second gear going downhill now, you do get used to it.

In your view, living there, is it an improvement would you say? Despite the inconvenience of longer times getting to places. Is it a price worth paying and do people comply?

Those who don't would probably not comply with the 30mph either although I have noticed an increase in tailgating and impatience, plus dangerous overtaking.

Yes, I think it is an improvement, particularly now I’ve seen that lives and injuries have reduced so significantly. I think road users are too impatient, and this has redressed the imbalance somewhat. It can be inconvenient if you want to get somewhere in a hurry, but we should leave enough time not to be in a rush anyway, because that’s often when accidents happen. That’s not to say though that it’s not irritating, when you can see no logical reason for some areas to be 20mph.

Casdon

It is- I got caught by community speed watch doing 25 downhill when it first came in. I change down into second gear going downhill now, you do get used to it.

In your view, living there, is it an improvement would you say? Despite the inconvenience of longer times getting to places. Is it a price worth paying and do people comply?

I haven't got gears now.

If you look at what speed kills a child you would be very supportive of the reduced speed, in fact in I think that there is an argument for 10 mph, where there is a high density of children.

We have 20mph for a number of years - it was never an issue as far as i am aware.

It is- I got caught by community speed watch doing 25 downhill when it first came in. I change down into second gear going downhill now, you do get used to it.

It's so easy to suddenly find you're doing about 26 mph going downhill as it still seems very slow.

I know - but the evidence that it prevents accidents seems pretty compelling, so it’s a price worth paying by the look of it.

It's quite difficult, though, especially going downhill.
There are a lot of hills in Wales.

The tailgating was an issue I agree, but it hasn’t had the effect of increasing accidents. I think it’s taken time to bed down, but most people are compliant now.

Here’s the Transport for Wales findings, which covers a lot of issues, on casualty figures, they say there is insufficient evidence so far to reach conclusions about the split between pedestrian and vehicle casualties, which I guess with only 18 months data is fair.

tfw.wales/national-monitoring-report-july-2025

I am originally from South Wales and often visit friends in the area I used to live in. They hate it, it goes on for a long stretch between two small towns and drives everyone mad. It causes chaos when going to work on the morning because everyone is going in the same direction to get on the nearby motorway . It drives me bonkers when I go back .

The downside is other vehicles tailgating you or overtaking aggressively
Yes, I have found an increase in tailgating to be the downside of the 20mph limits. It seems worse than before.
Drivers then overtake dangerously, sometimes in the 20mph limit zone too, which can be quite scary.

According to that report, too, an advanced driving instructor in Wrexham said that in his opinion, driving behaviour has been badly affected as No one was doing under 30mph in the 20mph zones which made teaching learners more dangerous.

Overall, however, if casualties due to road accidents are dropping that has to be an optimistic trend.
However, it doesn't state how many casualties are pedestrians or those in cars.

There needs to be a campaign to make people, particularly children, to be more aware as pedestrians.
Remember the Tufty Club?

It sounds like a good idea to me. We live in a semi rural area and some cars speed along the lanes in a very dangerous manner. You have to have your wits about you.

Do those living in these areas notice much difference? Has it increased safety? Do your journeys take a lot longer? I’m interested to know more.

We have 20mph limits in some areas where I live, towns and some villages. I don’t mind it, especially in town because it gives you as a driver more chance to keep an eye on pedestrians/cyclists/small children and traffic signals. Some of the country areas I find it harder to keep my speed down, driving along an empty road between empty fields, say. My car has a speed limiter on it so I use that a lot.

The downside is other vehicles tailgating you or overtaking aggressively. Though I guess those types of drivers will do that whatever the speed limit is, to judge by the racers who go past my GC’s school at ridiculous speeds.

I don’t know what the figures are for Scotland but I hope lives have been saved.

I think what is different in Wales is that the 20mph limit is for all urban areas with houses and shops, ie with pavements that have them opening onto the pavement, it’s been introduced near schools throughout the UK, I don’t know if any additional areas elsewhere are down to councils to decide?

We have an increasing number of 20mph areas and occasionally get reminders from our Neighbourhood Watch group, that fines are being issued for speeding on certain roads.
Can’t find any evidence of deaths before or after the implementation of the changed limits.

There are many areas in Scotland who have this too. It appears to have cut road deaths but I can't find the evidence at the moment