Some roads in Newport are expected to return to 30mph speed limits following a public consultation.

City council leader Dimitri Batrouni said more than 3,000 residents had taken part in the recent survey, in which respondents could argue their case for roads to revert to a higher speed limit.

The Welsh Government lowered the nation’s default speed limit, from 30mph to 20mph, in September 2023, arguing it would improve road safety.

The policy has proved controversial, however, and hundreds of thousands of people signed a petition calling on the government to scrap the plan.

Following a change of first minister earlier in 2024, the government launched a “national listening programme” – essentially a consultation on the plans.

At a Newport City Council meeting, on Tuesday November 26, Conservative councillor David Fouweather said councils had received extra funding “to sort out the mess around the 20mph plan”.

He asked how the council had spent its share of the money – reportedly £94,000 – and when the results of the consultation would be announced.

“We need to know now which roads – if any – are going to return to 30mph – we’ve waited long enough,” said Cllr Fouweather.

In response, council leader Dimitri Batrouni said the results would be announced in January.

“In terms of the money, I understand we’ve spent hardly anything… because it’s about investing that in the new 30mph signs,” explained Cllr Batrouni.

He said the spending plans will be uploaded to the council website “so people can look at it”.

Cllr Batrouni said the council had received “over 3,000” responses to the consultation, but perhaps seeking to temper expectations, told the meeting: “What I would stress is the Welsh Government guidelines are really, really strict – but I would expect some roads to revert back to 30mph.”

If councils decide to change any roads back to 30mph, following consultation, they will have to go through a Traffic Regulatory Order process, which will give communities another chance to have their say on a higher speed limit.

Speaking ahead of the one-year anniversary of the 20mph policy, on September 16 this year, Welsh transport secretary Ken Skates said he wanted to “build from the broad consensus that 20mph is right where people live, work and play – this is about getting the right speeds on the right roads”.