A SENEDD petition, calling for the Welsh Government to rescind and remove the 20mph law, is fast approaching 50,000 signatures. The petition had been signed by 555 people in Preseli Pembrokeshire and 521 people in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire had signed.

Dropping the speed limit from 30 is unpopular, polls show, but the Welsh Government claims 10 lives per year will be saved.

However carers, emergency service personnel and delivery drivers have all said that it will make their jobs harder.

The Conservatives argue it will cost the Welsh economy billions of pounds with the Welsh shadow transport minister, Natasha Asghar, calling the rollout “madcap, ludicrous” and Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the House of Commons, attacking it as “absolutely insane”.

Welsh Conservative Shadow Transport Minister Natasha Asghar, MS said: “The new blanket 20mph speed limit has been in place for just one day and already people have had enough of it. For more than 45,000 people to sign a petition within 24 hours shows the extent of public outrage towards Labour’s madcap policy.

“This highlights that there has been little to no consultation with the general public, the Labour Government have clearly avoided all public scrutiny in a bid to get their socialist agenda pushed through.

“Labour and Plaid Cymru have refused to listen to public opinion and are continuing to wage their anti-worker, anti-road and anti-motorist agenda. With this ludicrous policy forced on the people of Wales, Labour can still U-turn on this disastrous rollout and deliver what Wales wants by scrapping blanket 20mph zones across Wales.”

RAC road safety spokesman Simon Williams said: “The findings of this study are surprising, as they appear to suggest that drivers on 20mph roads in Belfast hardly slowed down at all, despite the lower speed limit, which is at odds with other reports.

“It seems there is a serious problem with compliance, as we would expect that – even without enforcement – average speeds would drop. Consequently, the study may demonstrate a need for councils to find other ways to get drivers to slow down, whether that’s through enforcement or modifying road design with traffic islands, well designed speed humps or chicanes.

“It’s also important that 20mph limits are used in places where they stand to make the biggest positive impact, such as in built-up areas and in locations where there are large volumes of motorised traffic, cyclists and pedestrians – but clearly that depends on a meaningful drop in overall vehicle speeds. Equally, our research shows drivers are less likely to comply with a lower limit if they don’t believe it’s appropriate for the type of road.”

The link to the petition can be found here.

WALES will introduce a new default speed limit of 20mph (32km/h) for residential roads from Sunday, making it the first UK nation to make such a change. This follows Spain, which has already adjusted its national speed limits in 2019. However, drivers are being urged not to rely solely on their satellite navigation systems for the speed limit updates, as some GPS firms have indicated that immediate updates might not be possible.

What This Means for Drivers

The new law will affect around 35% of Welsh roads with lamp-posts no more than 200 yards (183m) apart. Notably, since this will be the national speed limit, 20mph signs will be unnecessary on those roads unless the limit changes. But while police have noted that enforcing the new speed will be a “last resort” in the early stages, fixed speed cameras will not show such leniency.

Simon Williams, of the RAC, advised drivers to stay updated. “Until sat-nav systems have been fully updated, they shouldn’t rely on them to know what the speed limit is on any particular stretch of Welsh road,” he stated.

Political Reactions

The speed limit change has spurred varied responses from politicians. House of Commons leader Penny Mordaunt criticised the move, terming it “insane”. Mordaunt suggested that the Labour party was punishing motorists. However, Lee Waters, the deputy climate change minister for Wales, described Mordaunt’s comments as a “pantomime”.

Economic and Safety Implications

First Minister Mark Drakeford highlighted the safety benefits, stating that while it may take an extra minute for journeys, the change could save ten lives in Wales each year. However, the Welsh Conservatives have drawn attention to Welsh government documents which estimate that the speed change could cost the Welsh economy between £2.7b and £8.9b due to increased journey times. Yet, Mr Drakeford counters that the NHS could see savings of £92m annually.

Historically, more people were severely injured or killed in 30mph zones in Wales than in any other zones. Safety campaigners, Brake, have emphasised that the risk of fatality is five times higher at 30mph compared to 20mph.

Which Roads Will Change?

Of the 22,000 miles of road in Wales, an estimated 7,700 miles will change from 30mph to 20mph. About 30,000 road signs are set to be replaced.

However, not all 30mph roads will experience this reduction. Local authorities have the discretion to maintain the 30mph speed limit where they can provide evidence that such speeds are safe and won’t endanger pedestrians and cyclists.

Controversial Change?

The speed limit adjustment has seen its share of controversy. A majority of respondents to a Welsh government-commissioned consultation were against the change. Furthermore, the Welsh Conservatives have voiced strong opposition.

Mark Drakeford admitted the change would require adjustment, likening it to the introduction of the breathalyser. He expressed hope that, over time, the community would see the benefits of the reduced speed in terms of safety.

As Wales moves forward with this landmark change, it remains to be seen how smoothly the transition will be and what the long-term impacts, both positive and negative, will be.

Osian Pryce and co-driver Stephane Prevot clinched a decisive victory at this year’s JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion. Their triumph was marked by a stellar performance, as they surged into the lead during the event’s second stage and maintained their dominance to cross the finish line a commanding 22.9 seconds ahead of their closest rivals.

Meirion Evans and Jonathan Jackson secured the second position, showing remarkable tenacity throughout the rally, finishing 8.6 seconds ahead of James Williams and Dai Roberts, who fiercely battled on the second day, ultimately determining the final podium standings.

Reflecting on his triumph, Osian Pryce expressed his satisfaction, saying, “It’s been a challenging rally, I’ve really enjoyed the driving and I’m delighted to have won. But I couldn’t have done it without everyone who has supported me, Melvyn Evans Motorsport for providing me with such a great car, and Stephane for being part of the team. This has been a fantastic event. It’s great for the area, great for the sport, and I applaud the organizers for all they have achieved.”

The stage for this year’s rally was set during the Rali Show and Ceremonial start on Aberystwyth Promenade, bathed in the stunning glow of a Cardigan Bay sunset, drawing massive crowds eager to witness the competing cars and crews.

The first day of the rally featured a trio of morning stages followed by a repeat in the afternoon, covering a challenging 54.32-mile route across the Cambrian Mountains. Day one concluded with two exhilarating stages in Aberystwyth, which captivated spectators with their half-mile blasts along the sea-front road.

The battle for supremacy intensified on the opening day when Pryce seized the lead after Evans encountered a spin and a puncture in the ETT Trailers Cwmerfyn 1 stage. Pryce showcased his dominance by claiming four fastest stage times out of eight, amassing a 42.4-second lead by day’s end. Evans, determined to mount a comeback, displayed resilience and won three stages to secure second place overnight.

Callum Black, eyeing the Protyre Asphalt Championship title, held second place on Saturday morning but opted for a conservative approach in the afternoon to ensure victory on the penultimate round. James Williams, despite a shaky start, maintained fourth place by day’s end.

The competition witnessed its fair share of drama, including marker-bale encounters for James Ford and Neil Shanks, which, fortunately, caused no significant mechanical damage to their Citroen C3 Rally2.

Saturday concluded with the Cambrian Training/Get Jerky/LAS Recycling Aberystwyth 1 & 2 stages, providing fans with thrilling entertainment and demonstrations by Matthew Wilson in an M-Sport Puma Rally1 Hybrid.

Sunday’s schedule featured a trio of runs over the Cambrian Mountains in the morning, followed by a repeat in the afternoon. Each of the top-five drivers pursued distinct strategies, with Pryce aiming for a comfortable lead, Evans pushing to narrow the gap, Williams striving for a podium place, Black securing the championship title, and Ford vying for a top-three finish.

While Evans exhibited speed in the day’s first stage, Pryce remained steady, and Williams made a strong push. The day’s action also witnessed a tied stage win between Evans and Williams. Williams eventually clinched two outright fastest times, but Evans held onto his second position.

Ultimately, Osian Pryce maintained his composure and flawless driving over the final three stages, securing his fifth fastest time of the rally on the penultimate stage. James Williams gave it his all but couldn’t surpass Evans, leaving the podium positions unchanged. Callum Black secured fourth place, and Garry Pearson and Daniel Barritt delivered a consistent performance to secure fifth place.

Phil Pugh, Chairman of the JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion organising committee, commended Osian and Stephane for their impressive performance and thanked all participants, marshals, officials, sponsors, and partners who contributed to the success of the event. He expressed excitement about the prospect of hosting the rally once again next year.

The 2023 Rali Ceredigion Overall Results:

1. Osian Pryce/Stephane Prevot (VW Polo R5): 1:24:30.8
2. Meirion Evans/Jonathan Jackson (VW Polo R5): 1:24:53.7
3. James Williams/Dai Roberts (Hyundai i20 Rally2): 1:25:02.3
4. Callum Black/James Morton (Ford Fiesta Rally2): 1:26:18.1
5. Garry Pearson/Daniel Barritt (VW Polo R5): 1:28:19.0
6. James Ford/Neil Shanks (Citroen C3 Rally2): 1:29:29.1
7. Kevin Davies/Owain Davies (VW Polo R5): 1:29:57.4
8. Mark Kelly/Will Atkins (Skoda Fabia R5): 1:30:06.3
9. Andrew Purcell/Shane Buckley (VW Polo R5): 1:31:53.4
10. John Dalton/Gwynfor Jones (Darrian T90 GTR): 1:31:59.1