20mph enforcement 'grace period' over in Wales today

In October, Deputy Climate Change Minister Lee Waters MS confirmed enforcement on the 20mph speed limit was set to begin today, December 17.

Wales became one of the first countries in the world, and the first nation in the UK, to lower the default national speed limit on residential roads from 30mph to 20mph in September.

It's a move that has created a divide more ingrained than the median strips found on the centre of our roads.

When the move to 20mph came in in September it incensed many.

One member of the public commented on Facebook: “It’s a joke at 11pm on a quiet night to be trodding along at 20 when we could drive perfectly safe at 30 or 40.”

Another commented, “Speed cameras will be making money off already over-taxed hard-working people.”

'20mph? What's the fuss about?'

Outgoing first minister Mark Drakeford insists that despite the objections against the new law, in the long run, the move will save countless lives.

The Welsh Government claims that the change would reduce collisions, save lives and reduce injuries but the move has been met with backlash from residents, with over 460,000 people signing a petition in opposition of the new speed limit.

Speaking earlier this week on BBC Radio Wales in what could be one of his last interviews as FM, Mr Drakeford said: “The 20mph policy is the right policy. It will save lives.

“It is always challenging doing something new, however Ireland is going to introduce the same policy and Scotland is committed to doing the same thing.

“More and more councils in England are declaring themselves to be 20mph zones.

"When people look back on all this I think they will see this was another example of Wales with a progressive government being at the forefront of development, and people will look back and say whatever was the fuss about.”  

With enforcement set to begin on the new speed limit, see the map showing all the roads that have changed to 20mph in Wales so you don't get caught out by clicking, here.

Now, penalties apply for speeding at over 20mph in designated areas (Image: Newsquest)

20mph law gone down like a ‘cup of cold sick’

According to the Welsh Conservatives, a stretch of road in the Vale of Glamorgan has eight speed limit changes over just 1.8 miles following the 20mph rollout, with one car body shop owner summing up local sentiment by saying: “everyone seems totally confused and baffled by it.”

In November, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies MS said: “The people of Wales have spoken through the largest Senedd petition in history and the polling evidence is clear that blanket 20mph has gone down like a cup of cold sick.

“Only the Welsh Conservatives will scrap Labour and Plaid’s £40m vanity project.”

Speed Cameras in place to monitor the 20mph speed limit

A number of fixed and mobile speed cameras were placed across Wales back in September as the new 20mph speed limit was rolled out on residential roads. 

You can see the full list of the speed cameras monitoring the 20mph speed limit in south Wales here.

These new cameras were installed at what GoSafe called "enforcement sites".

GoSafe - a partnership made up of authorities including the Welsh Government and Wales emergency services - said: "Enforcement will take place where it is needed to keep roads and communities safe, and will be carried out through a combination of mobile enforcement vehicles and fixed cameras, as is the case now."

It added any fixed speed cameras already installed on residential roads in Wales, set to monitor a 30mph speed limit, would be altered.