Conservatives lose vote to scrap 20mph speed limit

In a session at the Senedd yesterday, the Welsh Conservatives were unsuccessful in their attempt to halt the implementation of a new 20mph speed limit, which is set to begin this weekend.

On Wednesday, the Tories led a debate in an effort to stop the new speed limit, which will see restricted roads change from 30mph to 20mph.

  Other Trending Stories

• Road was closed over 'incident' between two parties
• Councillors question pothole claim publicity
• County Council Leader to resign next week
• Powys could be forced to use reserves over NI costs

However, Welsh Conservative Senedd Members voted against the new road safety regulation, while Labour and Plaid Cymru MSs supported its rollout.

During the debate, the Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters, criticized the Conservatives, stating that they have opposed "every progressive reform" in the country.

Waters cited their opposition to the creation of the NHS, the minimum wage, the smoking ban, and even votes for women. He expressed confidence that the fears and claims made by the Conservatives regarding the new speed limit would prove to be unfounded, much like their previous concerns about other reforms.

The Shadow Minister for Transport, Natasha Asghar, urged the Welsh Government to reconsider their plans for the new speed limit and instead focus on "targeted measures."

She also accused the government of considering changes to other speed limits in Wales, suggesting that the 20mph limit may be just the beginning.

During the debate, Welsh Conservative Senedd Member Tom Giffard referred to a recent ITV Wales poll showing that two-thirds of people in Wales oppose the new 20mph default speed limit. He argued that the Welsh Labour Government has failed to win public support on this issue.

Wales will be the only nation in the UK to introduce a 20mph default speed limit, with the Welsh Government expecting it to result in a 40 percent reduction in road collisions, saving six to ten lives annually, and preventing 1,200 to 2,000 injuries.

The Welsh Conservatives have claimed that the new speed limit will have a detrimental impact on the Welsh economy, costing billions of pounds.

In contrast, during a Welsh Government press conference on Monday (September 11), Mark Drakeford emphasized that while there will be an initial cost of £32 million, the road safety reform will save the NHS three times as much each year.