20mph: Which Welsh roads have seen most offences?

Measuring how well motorists are complying with the 20mph limit rests on monitoring by Transport for Wales at 10 locations, external, from Llanrug in Gwynedd to Newport.

Nearly seven million vehicles at 43 monitoring points were recorded last summer.

It found nearly 53% were travelling at 24mph or under.

This compares with nearly 59% last winter. But before the change in speed limit, about 21% of vehicles were travelling at or below 24mph.

The average speed at these monitoring sites was 25.1mph – slightly faster than the speed recorded last winter (24.4mph).

It found 16% of vehicles monitored were travelling at or above 30mph, an increase from 14% of vehicles recorded last winter.

Early figures suggest that serious road casualties have dropped on 20mph and 30mph roads since the new policy came in, although it is too early to say whether this is a long term trend.

The 20mph policy came into force in September 2023, which meant just over a third of all Welsh roads – most of those that were formerly 30mph roads – now have the lower default limit, even though those behind it don’t expect drivers to rigidly keep under 20mph.

The general aim is to improve road safety and bring about a reduction in speed in built-up areas.

An enforcement threshold operates and the average speed a motorist might expect to face some sort of action is about 28mph.

But it provoked a backlash amongst some motorists, with petitions to reverse it.

The Welsh government promised a rethink on some roads, especially routes away from residential areas.

That review process is ongoing, with councils asking for submissions for roads which may see their speed limits changed back.