, Petitions Committee
New Petitions
… topic. Item 2.1 is P-06-1318, 'Exempt A and B roads in Wales from the proposed blanket 20mph speed limit', and item 2.3 is P-06-1322, 'Reallocate the £30m being used for 20mph limits, to the … P06-1319, 'Provide a pedestrian crossing on A4042 at Goytre Arms crossroads and reduce the speed limit to 20mph': 'Make it safe for residents of Penperlleni to cross the A4042 at the Goytre Arms crossroads by providing …
, Plenary
The Restricted Roads (20 mph Speed Limit) (Wales) Order 2022
… September 2023, as intended, the general speed limit for restricted roads will reduce from 30 mph to 20 mph in relation to Wales. The provisions of the Act are not otherwise amended by the Order. The traffic authority … these provisions, the default speed limit for a restricted road in Wales will reduce from 30 mph to 20 mph. The Order seeks to address the issues of road safety and the effects from vehicles and roads …
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales
… motorcyclists in the community, in horrific accidents, and the leading police officer outlined how, as a result of 20 mph, his job in dealing with casualties, in dealing with deaths, has been lifted in terms of the trauma … having to drive a little bit slower. That said, of course—of course—there are instances where 20 mph is not appropriate, and I'd pay credit to Wrexham council, for example, where they're undergoing at this …
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales
… the main cause of congestion in my constituency for bus routes has been the introduction of the default 20 mph limit within the Vale of Clwyd. Within Denbighshire, only 0.6 per cent of roads are exempt from the … off the route to make up for the time that was being lost as a result of the 20 mph scheme. Will you accept that that is a part of the reason for bus congestion within my constituency …
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales
… concern that certain Ministers are floating the idea of 10 mph. As you are well aware, the default 20 mph limit has been a national disaster, costing the Welsh economy over £8 billion and being absolutely, wholeheartedly and … also see, and have seen, that in north Wales there has been an extremely welcome u-turn on 20 mph. We just need to see that same drive and dedication across the rest of Wales. The fact …
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Transport: Our Vision for the Devolution of Rail
… idea what their policy is on the M4 relief road, as motorists continue to suffer with blanket 20 mph limits, which are still not supported today. Now, we're expected to believe that this same Labour-Plaid agenda … have at hand to improve our transport network: build the third Menai crossing; upgrade the A55 expressway; scrap 20 mph blanket limits; and build the M4 relief road. Minister, the Welsh public don't want rail devolution. They …
, Plenary
Business Statement and Announcement
… casualties, and the latest statistics showed that there were around 100 fewer people killed or seriously injured on 20 mph and 30 mph roads combined in the 12 months following the introduction of the 20 mph default speed … same period the year before. That is such an important update on the impact of our policy for 20 mph, and let's let the local authorities engage in that process of review as we've asked them …
, Petitions Committee
New Petitions
… Phil Jones Associates may not be independent enough when reviewing any guidance. We know, following the outcry about 20 mph, that, at that time, the Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters, did announce a new review … guidance on 20 mph limits. And as part of that review, Phil Jones Associates, together with a professor of transport for sustainability and development from University College London were engaged to take some of that work forward …
, Petitions Committee
New Petitions
… Stop the Welsh Government from using Phil Jones Associates (PJA) to review the 20 mph scheme'. 'PJA were instrumental in advising on the 20mph scheme. They have been long time supporters of the Active Travel / cycling lobby … motorists and be sympathetic to the huge body of public objection—evidenced by the 467k+ signature petition opposing 20mph. An independent body must review this.' The petition was submitted by Carl Jones, and there are 724 signatures captured …
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: 20mph speed limits
… been introduced in Conservative councils across England. Plaid Cymru, Labour and the Tories all agreed that more 20 mph roads were appropriate, would bring benefits, and we have realised those benefits. In the first three months … seen a significant reduction in road casualties on 20 mph roads across Wales. Serious injuries and fatalities dropped by 23 per cent, with the total number of people killed or seriously injured on 20 mph and 30 mph …
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales
… sure that you are well aware, marked one year since the Welsh Government introduced its extremely controversial 20 mph speed limit scheme. Over the past year, we've seen countless protests, including one on the steps of the … saw the Junior Tour of Wales cycling race shortened and re-routed as a result of the 20 mph policy, and, in August, it was revealed by a YouGov poll that Wales still overwhelmingly rejects this 20 mph …
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: Transport update
… that, within this guidance, this framework, we will begin to see the process this autumn of changes to 20 mph areas. I should caveat that, though, by saying that there's the possibility of seeing some routes that … are currently 30 mph reducing to 20 mph, because there have been calls in some parts of Wales for reduced speed limits. They're likely to be dwarfed, though, by the number of roads that would revert back …
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport: Transport update
… are to listen, to work in partnership, and to make change happen. People I talk to agree that 20 mph is suitable for roads on estates, roads that are naturally narrowed to one lane by parked cars, areas … characteristics allow. I was campaigning last week on Llangyfelach Road, one of the main roads into Swansea, and 20 mph on that road was very unpopular. Residents did not understand why it was 20 mph, and …
, Petitions Committee
New Petitions
… going to be some new guidance that will help local authorities determine the reversion of some of these 20 mph, but specifically around trunk roads. There's one in my own constituency where a trunk road was dropped … 20 mph, and I was just trying to clarify that, with it being a trunk road, it wouldn't necessarily be under the auspices of the county council, it would be under the auspices of the Government …
, Petitions Committee
New Petitions
… the right roads'. This includes reviewing the guidance to highways authorities in setting exceptions to the new 20 mph speed limit that has been applied. So, the final report of this exceptions guidance review was published … the petition, which are in keeping with the original exceptions guidance issued, and is disputing that the 20 mph zones were introduced in response to climate change rather than safety, and refers to a House of Lords report …
, Petitions Committee
New Petitions
Item 2, then, on today's agenda: new petitions. Item 2.1, P-06-1422, 'Rescind the 20mph limit on TRA4076 at Johnston Pembrokeshire'. 'Welsh Government guidance for reduction of limits to 20mph said that “generally” A and … and two light controlled pedestrian crossings. There is no justification for this stretch of road being reduced to 20mph.' It was submitted by Helen Meopham with 301 signatures in total. I'll invite committee members to discuss this …
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
… Secretary, this month, we saw the first accident data released by police forces since the introduction of the 20 mph speed limit policy. Whilst we all undoubtedly welcome the fact that, in the last quarter of 2023, the … the previous five years' records. Also, while the data shows a drop is crashes across north Wales on 20 mph and 30 mph roads, during the same period there was an increase in the number of crashes …
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport
… that new road collision data shows that casualties have reduced on roads since the introduction of the new 20 mph speed limits in September last year. However, the new data you quoted for the last three months … compared with the same period in 2022, actually shows that, even with the limited exceptions for default 20 mph limits supplied by local authorities acting in accordance with Welsh Government exceptions criteria, the number of people killed …
, Plenary
Business Statement and Announcement
… for Health and Social Care, of course, is here with us today. Well, of course, as for the 20 mph debate, I think you took part, Darren Millar, in the important debate that took place on 22 May … many of our visitors are pedestrians and cyclists. And he said he wanted that targeted approach to 20 mph on roads where vulnerable road users mix with heavy traffic, and, of course, that is crucial in terms …
, Plenary
Debate on petition P-06-1407, 'We want the Welsh Government to rescind and remove the disastrous 20mph law'
… bad situation in my constituency and work with Denbighshire County Council to get exemptions to the 20 mph limit approved, but they have been kicked into the long grass thus far. I submitted a letter to the council … list of roads suitable for exemption, such as the Meliden dip and Rhuddlan Road, amongst many more, where 20 mph is causing chaos, yet six months on, not a single exemption has been made to one of these …