Speed limits in Wales’ more built-up areas could soon be lowered from 30mph to 20mph.
Plans for this new speed limit are being put in place to reduce the number of road collisions and general noise pollution. Ministers are also hoping that the new rules will encourage people to walk or cycle.
The proposed low-speed limit laws would be the first of their kind on a national scale.
With this in mind, Graham Conway, Managing Director at Select Car Leasing has shared his insight on the pros and cons of Wales’ proposed new speed limit laws.
“Since safety is always the number one priority on the roads, we would encourage drivers to welcome this new rule change. Measures being put in place to make roads safer are never a bad thing.
“20mph zones certainly reduce the likelihood of accidents on the road, and in the event that accidents do occur, reduces the chances of serious injuries.
“However, it is important to note that speed limit reductions do not eliminate all kinds of danger, in fact, new kinds of problems can arise when traffic is going slow.
“One thing we would expect to see an increase in is incidents of tailgating.
“When traffic is slow, some motorists will act impatiently and drive too close to the vehicle in front of them, in an attempt to gain ground.
“This can be very dangerous because when there is not a safe distance kept between vehicles, the chances of a collision increase significantly.
“Should something happen that causes the vehicle to brake suddenly, you might not have enough time to stop your vehicle if you are not keeping a safe distance.
“To stay safe on the roads, drivers should aim to keep a two to three-second brake distance between themselves and the vehicle directly in front of them.
“We would urge local police services in Wales to be as strict as possible with dangerous tailgating actions, as they are imposing the speed limit”.
Welsh ministers who are backing the proposal have suggested that they expect the new speed limit to save the nation money.
While it is estimated that it will cost £33m to introduce the 20mph speed limit in Wales, Welsh ministers claim that the nation will save £58m over 30 years because of reduced demand on the emergency services and fewer people requiring hospital treatment.
Should the proposals go ahead, the new 20mph speed limit is expected to come into place as of September 2023.
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