Motor Expert Comments on Wales’ New 20mph Speed Limit

Speed limits in Wales’ more built-up areas could soon be lowered from 30mph to 20mph. Plans for this new speed limit are being put in place to reduce the number of road collisions and general noise.

pollution. Ministers are also hoping that the new rules will encourage people to walk or cycle.

The proposed low-speed limit laws would be the first of their kind on a national scale.

With this in mind, Graham Conway, Managing Director at Select Car Leasing, has shared his insight on the pros and cons of Wales’ proposed new speed limit laws.

“Since safety is always the number one priority on the roads, we would encourage drivers to welcome this new rule change. Measures being put in place to make roads safer are never bad.

“20mph zones certainly reduce the likelihood of accidents on the road, and if accidents do occur, reduces the chances of serious injuries.

“However, it is essential to note that speed limit reductions do not eliminate all kinds of danger. New types of problems can arise when traffic is going slow.

“One thing we would expect to see an increase in is incidents of tailgating.

“When traffic is slow, some motorists will act impatiently and drive too close to the vehicle in front of them in an attempt to gain ground.

“This can be very dangerous because when there is not a safe distance between vehicles, the chances of a collision increase significantly.

“Should something happen that causes the vehicle to brake suddenly, you might not have enough time to stop your car if you are not keeping a safe distance.

“To stay safe on the roads, drivers should aim to keep a two to three-second brake distance between themselves and the vehicle directly in front of them.

“We would urge local police services in Wales to be as strict as possible with dangerous tailgating actions, as they are imposing the speed limit”.

Welsh ministers backing the proposal have suggested that they expect the new speed limit to save the nation money.

While it is estimated that it will cost £33m to introduce the 20mph speed limit in Wales, Welsh ministers claim that the nation will save £58m over 30 years because of reduced demand on the emergency services and fewer people requiring hospital treatment.

Should the proposals go ahead, the new 20mph speed limit is expected to come into place as of September 2023.