Some Welsh roads to revert to 30mph after backlash

Transport Minister Ken Skates says the changes to the policy will address the concerns that “a lot of people” have raised “on a consistent basis”

Some roads in Wales will revert to 30mph following backlash at the Welsh government’s £34m default 20mph policy.

Transport minister Ken Skates said the changes will address the concerns that “a lot of people” have raised “on a consistent basis”.

“We’ve put our hands up to say the guidance has to be corrected,” he said.

Swansea council leader Rob Stewart welcomed the change, but said the government must help foot the bill to swap signage.

Mr Skates highlighted the almost half a million signatures to a Senedd petition opposing the policy, brought in under former first minister Mark Drakeford and his transport minister Lee Waters.

Mr Skates was made the new transport secretary for Wales on 21 March after Vaughan Gething became the country’s new leader.

“There is generally universal support for 20mph being targeted in areas where there are schools, built up areas like housing estates, and outside hospitals and so-forth,” Mr Skates told North Wales Live on Friday.

“But in many areas, routes that shouldn’t have been included, were.”

He said the changes will enable individual councils to revert routes back to 30mph where appropriate, adding that this will allow for “radical” changes, if that is “what people want”.

Ken Skates says the Welsh government is holding its hands up to say “the guidance has to be corrected”

Mr Skates is expected to address forthcoming changes in a statement to the Senedd on Tuesday afternoon.

Rob Stewart, leader of Swansea council, said Mr Sakes’ “pragmatic approach” was “to be welcomed”.

However, he said the Welsh government should “help us with the cost” of reverting back to 30mph roads.

The controversial 20mph policy was introduced in Wales in September with the aim of improving road safety. It saw the default speed limit on roads in built up areas cut from 30mph to 20mph.

Mr Stewart added that he anticipated the changes to the policy could affect up to 10 roads in his own local authority.

“I don’t think anybody is challenging the requirements or the ambition of the 20mph to make our roads safer, but it’s about making sure we’ve got the balance right,” he said.

“So I think it’s just about being pragmatic and doing it in a way that’s sensible.”