THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have lost an eleventh hour bid to stop the 20mph speed limit coming into force this weekend.

From Sunday, September 17, restricted roads in Wales will have a default limit of 20mph, though local authorities have been able to select exemptions.

The law was passed in the Senedd last July.

Natasha Asghar, MS for South Wales East and Shadow Minister for Transport, said it was a “pleasure” to open the Senedd debate on Wednesday, September 13.

“Today, it’s really the last chance saloon. Consider today’s Welsh Conservative debate a chance for all politicians to stand up for their constituents and send a message to the Deputy Minister for Climate Change that we do not want a blanket 20mph speed limit here in Wales,” Ms Asghar said.

“I have absolutely no doubt that the number of people up in arms will swell further once Labour’s money-making exercise gets into full swing. It’s clear the vast majority are against this costly blanket move yet the Deputy Minister [for Climate Change] continues to bury his head in the sand, ignore the legitimate concerns and push forward with these plans.

“There is still time for the government to abandon these plans and instead focus on targeted measures just like the Welsh Conservatives have been calling for since day one.

“If this allegedly cash-strapped government wants to free up some cash, scrapping the 20mph scheme and other vanity projects would be a very good place for you to get started.”

Peter Fox, Welsh Conservative MS for Monmouth, added: “The public want us to debate this. It cannot be overstated just how much concern this blanket speed limit has created across Wales.

“This will escalate to new levels next week when people start to realise this is not just a bad dream.

“People in Monmouthshire have been living with this for a while and compliance, I have to say, has been poor. I also want to stress that the impact this policy is having on everyday life – and I’ve lived in it – is far greater than this government will have us believe.”

Lee Waters MS, Deputy Minister for Climate Change, said: "The Conservatives have been against every progressive reform in this country. They were opposed to the creation of the NHS. They were opposed to the creation of the minimum wage. They were against the ban on smoking in public places - they were even against votes for women.

"They are always on the wrong side of history and they never learn. We will look back in years to come at the claims that have been made just as we saw with the claims the Conservatives made about the impact of the charge for carrier bags, the introduction of free bus passes for older people, the changes to the laws on smacking children.

"We will find that their fears are overblown and their claims of calamity just don't stack up. Speed will come down. Fewer people will be killed, fewer people will have life changing injuries. The burden on the police and fire services of attending deadly collisions will ease."

The Welsh Conservative motion lost by 38 votes to 15.