Introducing default 20mph speed limits...

[mab01uk]

"Wales will be one of the first countries in the world, and the first nation in the UK, to introduce legislation to have a default 20mph speed limit on roads where cars mix with pedestrians and cyclists."
We are introducing a default 20mph speed limit on restricted roads across Wales, from 17 September 2023:-
https://www.gov.wales/introducing-defau ... eed-limits

[tweedy998]

We'll be back to a chap walking in front of one's 'motor carriage' with a red flag again at this rate.

[AndyPen]

This blanket approach is really disappointing, just hope common sense works at a local level.

This was the public perspective, though it is down to 8 per cent in agreement now.

Multiple votes either way may be skewing this though.

20mph speed survey.png

[MiNiKiN]

Here in the City of Graz we have had a general speed limit of 19mph (30 kph) across the entire city, except main roads where there is still a 30mph limit. We have had this for 20 years now - the resistance on introduction was of course huge.
But: No one has yet died because of this 19mph limit, the quality of living in the respective residential areas has dramatically improved along with less accidents and effects of such. Less drivers bypass the mainroads via the side roads, which further improves quality and safety in these areas.
My two penn'orth

[Polarsilver]

maybe my age but can agree with these 20mph limits but only in " built up" areas .. Oxfordshire CC seem to like to impose them .. what i object to is new 50mph limits now imposed on what were national speed designated 60mph Roads with nothing but countryside around ..seems that in UK today we become a dictatorial state & just accept these political driven policys .. yet maybe it will safe the world

[snoopy64]

Oxon CC have now discovered the 20 sign having used up all the 50s they could buy… even villages with the most savage speed bumps now seem to need a 20 limit as well!!

[mk1]

It's the way things are going. TBH, I'm not sure if it will be good or bad, but I really can't get that worked up either way.

The thing that does strike me though is that it is rare for me to travel into any city now, it's not because of ULEZ zones or speed limits, not even the lack of, or exorbitant price of parking, it's the fact that there aren't any shops in City centres now. Just bars, clubs, takeaways & charity shops.

[Pete]

Its funny when I did the Olympia thing in London earlier this year I had to constantly remind myself of the 20mph limit all across the centre of London when I did actually traverse it, something that’s quite tricky to achieve if you’re not used to it at 20 mph or below. That said, the average speed of traffic across London is supposed to be about 7 mph isn’t it so maybe not even achievable on some days!

We used the tube for the most part which actually took us on a massive detour due to work on the line but still fairly effective, though I couldn't ever describe as an enjoyable experience!

Introducing a similar speed restriction anywhere else other than congested inner city areas seems like folly.

[mab01uk]

Many of the outer London boroughs now have 20 mph roads by default including main roads but if you do obey the 20 limit because you are not a local and don't know where the cameras are hidden, you constantly get frustrated local car/van drivers and motorcyclists/scooters sitting on your rear bumper trying to speed you up to 30+ or doing a do or die overtaking manoeuvre to get past!
Meanwhile in all the residential side roads where 20mph is a good idea there are no cameras or traffic Police to enforce the limit anyway, so no one takes any notice of it.....

[InnoCooperExport]

Here in the City of Graz we have had a general speed limit of 19mph (30 kph) across the entire city, except main roads where there is still a 30mph limit. We have had this for 20 years now - the resistance on introduction was of course huge.
But: No one has yet died because of this 19mph limit, the quality of living in the respective residential areas has dramatically improved along with less accidents and effects of such. Less drivers bypass the mainroads via the side roads, which further improves quality and safety in these areas.
My two penn'orth

I was going to say, in the rest of Europe around 20 mph is the standard around town...

[Brynmor]

The biggest problem is it’s not just around town / villages…we’ve open mountain near me that has gone from 60mph to 30mph in the last 5 yrs and will now be 20mph !
I totally agree around schools / town centers etc it’s a good idea but the blanket approach is utterly ridiculous.

[DougR]

Hi folks, yeah same here in Ireland. Everything in the city is 30kph. Years ago all the primary roads were 60mph and boreens were 50mph. When we changed to kilometers they just swapped the signs. Now they've sorted out the primary roads and set them to 60kph. Motorways are 120kph across the board. But the crazy thing is if you turn off the primary road on to a small road (boreens as we call them), they haven't updated them and the limit is still 80 kph from the original 50mph. So you can do 50 (in old speak) on a boreen but you can only do 40 on a primary road. Nuts. Cheers, Doug.

[InnoCooperExport]

The biggest problem is it’s not just around town / villages…we’ve open mountain near me that has gone from 60mph to 30mph in the last 5 yrs and will now be 20mph !
I totally agree around schools / town centers etc it’s a good idea but the blanket approach is utterly ridiculous.

Oh that does sound stupid. Blanket approaches rarely work, one size fits none as they say.

[Costafortune]

The biggest problem is it’s not just around town / villages…we’ve open mountain near me that has gone from 60mph to 30mph in the last 5 yrs and will now be 20mph !
I totally agree around schools / town centers etc it’s a good idea but the blanket approach is utterly ridiculous.

That appalling Drakeford idiot needs money - and you are a default provider.

[turbocox]

This must have something to do with local authorities getting more money, out of the government road tax funds if a road is classed as a 30 or 20 MPH road… …??

[nick@dunsdale]

We have had 20mph limits in most towns in the scottish borders for a year or two now
They have moved the 20mph zone in a bit on some towns
But some are still 20 from sign post to sign post.
Maintaining 20 for up to a couple of miles with no cars in front of you takes practise for sure
As the pushbikes pass you as well

[AndyPen]

It is now coming to light how much public transport, emergency services and deliveries are going to be impacted, plus of course how it will hit the economy. Still trying to work out how being in second gear mostly will help pollution levels?? The maps are out and locally, it is going to be be quite a struggle, especially at quiet times where we used to have 40 mph for example - now 20???

[Costafortune]

My friend just got himself six points, 40 in a 20. This was no village though but a main road in the cesspit that is London. The new 20 sign was both tiny and obscured by foliage, not that this stopped the traffic police from having a handy roadside speed check.

A stern word? Some sage advice? No chance.

This is pure revenue generation, nothing more. The regular police generally do a fine job in difficult times but those bastards.....

[snoopy64]

I’d have to say the only car I drive that’s good in a 20 is a phev… that is until the battery goes flat!

[mab01uk]