WITH three months to go until the rollout of 20mph default speed limits, the change has been branded "lifesaving".

Deputy minister for climate change, Lee Waters has said reducing speed will "not only save lives but will help build stronger, safer communities".

Described as the "biggest step-change in community safety in a generation", most streets in Wales that currently have a 30mph speed limit will switch to 20mph on Sunday, September 17.

The change comes after four years of work with local authorities, police and road safety experts to design a change in law, making Wales the first UK nation to reset the default speed limit for local roads.

Mr Waters said: “We’re now just three months away from the biggest step-change in community safety we have seen in Wales for a generation.

“Reducing speed not only saves lives; it will help build stronger, safer communities - better places to live our lives.”

The move follows a similar approach in Spain where the speed limit on the majority of roads was changed to 30km/h in 2019.

Since then, Spain has reported 20 per cent fewer urban road deaths, with fatalities reduced by 34 per cent for cyclists and 24 per cent for pedestrians.

First minister Mark Drakeford said: “Our streets will be quieter, reducing the scourge of noise pollution, and slower speeds also boosts the confidence of people to cycle and walk around their local areas and for children to play outdoors.

“Evidence from around the world is clear – reducing speed limits reduces collisions and saves lives.”

Research shows the 20mph default speed limit could save £92m a year by reducing the number of deaths and injuries. It could also help to reduce pressure on the NHS from a reduction in injuries from road traffic collisions.

Over the first decade, it is estimated a lower speed limit will save up to 100 lives and 20,000 casualties.

Dr Sarah Jones, consultant in environmental public health for Public Health Wales, said: “The evidence is clear that reducing traffic speeds has multiple health and wellbeing benefits.

"The safer environment that slower traffic speeds bring will also enable more people to actively travel, for example walking and cycling to work and school.”