20mph review finds ‘most roads don’t need reassessing’

Already on Welsh roads, some highways authorities have brought in more 30mph exceptions than others.

In Swansea, 10.5% of the old 30mph network remained at that speed limit instead of defaulting to 20mph.

But that happened on only 1.3% of similar roads in Wrexham.

The review team, external, led by transport consultant Phil Jones, has been looking at the experiences in a mix of urban and rural UK areas with extensive 20mph limits, including Edinburgh, Bristol and Witney in Oxfordshire.

It has also looked further afield at examples in Switzerland and Spain.

It found Swansea had brought in 20mph in a similar way as the patterns found in Edinburgh and Bristol.

Smaller towns in Wales were similar to those it had seen in market towns in England and the Scottish borders.

The review team said it wants the guidance to offer flexibility to consider local circumstances.

Highways authorities needed the guidance to help them “strike the right balance” between the risk of increased casualties, noise and discouragement to cycling and walking and reducing travel times and economic benefits on important routes.

Factors to consider include providing low cost, suitable segregated facilities for pedestrians and cyclists, bus priority lanes and changing entrances to schools away from main roads.

As well as strategic routes, exceptions might also apply to areas such as industrial estates.