Wales has become the first nation in the UK to adopt 20mph as the default speed limit on restricted roads.

The new legislation, which came into force last month, stipulates that motorists will now have to reduce their speed from 30mph to 20mph in built-up areas with high pedestrian activity such as village and town centres (or roads with lampposts placed not more than 200 yards apart).

The policy has come in for incandescent criticism, with an online petition opposing the reduction now reaching over 450,000 signatures. Yet the Welsh government is committed to the policy and has refused to redact it despite the vociferous campaign against it, with the leader of the Welsh Conservatives condemning the Labour government for not listening to the people and having an “extreme ideology”.

The proposal initially featured in the Welsh Labour’s manifesto when the party won a significant majority back in 2021. It was then confirmed and given the go-ahead in the Senedd by 39 votes to 15.

The main aim of the policy is to lower road collisions and casualties to make communities safer, as well as encouraging more people to walk or cycle which is not only better for the environment, but also makes the country a safer and greener place to live in.

The benefits of the policy are supported by police data from 2022 which revealed that just over half of the 4,442 people injured in collisions in Wales happened on 30mph roads. The chances of someone surviving being hit by a car at 20mph rather than 30mph is also seven times higher, with the Welsh government predicting that the speed limit changes will save up to 100 lives and 20,000 casualties in the first decade.

The idea was initally trialled in 8 different locations across Wales in 2021, including Abergavenny, Buckley and Llanelli North. The feedback was positive, with Government polling from the residents partaking in the trials showcasing that 4 in 5 Welsh adults (80%) were supportive of the new speed limit.

Many cities and towns across the UK, especially London, also already have 20mph zones as the norm for residential areas, so this policy isn’t anything groundbreaking. However, such a ‘blanket policy’ for an entire area has never been seen before in the UK, although Scotland has plans to follow Wales’ lead and make the policy nationwide by 2025.

Wales’ First Minister, Mark Drakeford, has profusely defended the policy, stating that although there will be a “period of turbulence”, he is confident “people will see it is a sensible and progressive thing to do.”

However, the British Transport Secretary, Mark Harper, was among one of many Conservatives condemning it, saying that widespread 20mph zones “just makes life harder for motorists”.

This was supported further by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who has seized the opportunity to formulate a voting strategy for the upcoming general election by jumping on the bandwagon and vowing to end “the war on motorists”.

The policy has also been criticised for being too expensive, with the cost of bringing it in estimated at £33m. The Welsh Government have estimated they will need roughly 30,000 replacement signs and 5,000 posts, with hundreds of roads also needing to be re-painted. Another £1.6 million will also go towards national and local communications campaigns on the new policy.

The Welsh Government has defended the extortionate price tag, arguing it is “outweighed” by the fact that the new speed limit will reduce the impact on the NHS and emergency services, which one study found could save nearly triple the cost of implentation in just one year (£92m). First Minister, Mark Drakeford, says the costs are worth it in the long term, stating that “sometimes you have got to spend to save.”

Yet, 2⁄3 of people in Wales don’t support the policy, with many residents even taking to the streets to protest against it.

The Welsh government really need to scrap this anti-drive mentality.

Welsh Conservatives’ transport spokeswoman Ms Asghar said: “Residents have had their say on this and the verdict is resounding. They do not want this costly, ill-thought out, disastrous blanket. The Welsh government really need to scrap this anti-drive mentality and instead ensure Wales has an adequate road network for the future.”