Living Streets Cymru, part of the UK charity for everyday walking, is celebrating new legislation to reduce speed limits in Wales.
From today (17 September 2023), Wales will become the first UK nation to adopt a 20mph default speed limit on residential streets.
The new legislation means that most roads that currently operate as 30mph areas will reduce to 20mph. It is estimated that the move will save 6-10 lives every year, result in 40% fewer collisions and prevent up to 2,000 people being injured.
In 2019, Spain reduced the speed limit to 30km/h (18.64mph) on the majority of its roads. Since then, there have been 20% fewer urban road deaths, with fatalities reduced by 34% for cyclists and 24% for pedestrians.
Stephen Edwards, Chief Executive, Living Streets said:
“Introducing 20mph as the default speed on our residential streets will improve the places where we live, work and go to school.
“When someone is hit at 30mph, they are around five times more likely to be killed than if they were hit at 20mph. This is, quite literally, life-changing legislation.
“We will continue to work with Welsh Government to ensure that our streets and pavements are safe and accessible for everyone in our communities.”
Reducing speed limits will make it safer for more people in Wales to walk and cycle for short journeys, and as a result, reduce car use, congestion and air pollution.
In a recent survey, one in three Welsh adults said that 20mph speed limits would increase their likelihood of walking more often.
Data from WOW – the walk to school challenge from Living Streets – reported that schools in pilot 20mph areas have seen a 39% increase in active travel journeys (25 versus 18 percentage point increase) compared to schools predominantly in 30mph areas. Children also reported feeling much safer on their journey to and from school each day.
Living Streets Cymru is a member organisation of the 20mph Welsh Government Task Force Group, which provided evidence to support the 20mph restriction. In 1934, Living Streets (then called the Pedestrians Association) successfully advocated for the introduction of the 30mph limit.
Help keep news FREE for our readers
Supporting your local community newspaper/online news outlet is crucial now more than ever. If you believe in independent journalism, then consider making a valuable contribution by making a one-time or monthly donation. We operate in rural areas where providing unbiased news can be challenging. Read More About Supporting The West Wales Chronicle
I’d rather be late for that most important meeting of my career,than to live the rest of my life with the death of a child on my conscience who’d otherwise been alive IF I’d been driving at 20.
It depends where it is.
I think this is the most replies this paper has ever had 🙂
West Wales chronicle. Or west Wales comical lol
Jonathan C Murray you have been given a warning about commenting on our posts about our staff and volunteers.
West Wales Chronicle Well I though your paper was non political just shows who your staff are
Jonathan C Murray it is not political,we are open to all political parties sending their news to us.
West Wales Chronicle Ahhh but the people working for you are why don’t you do a story instead of making one up do it yourselves go up to the stradey park hotel and ask a few people about the situation and also to another fact people have sent you in stories but you refused to publish them and that is fact or someone in your offices deleted them so come on stand your ground and interview a few protestors up the stradey park hotel and make a full story of what is actually going on instead of all being left wing now that would give you the chance to show that you are not political in one direction.
Then go and live in a desert.
Bob Hinton you could.
Jonathan Williams I have.
Bob Hinton you came back though.
Jonathan Williams weak
Grow up
The avengers Mr Evans
Comments are closed.