Politics

Welsh Government updates 20mph guidance

Published

2 years ago

July 17, 2024

THE WELSH Government published guidance on reverting 20mph roads back to 30mph, announcing an extra £5m for councils to make speed limit changes.

Ken Skates, Wales’ transport secretary, told the Senedd more than 7,000 people have had their say after he launched a “national listening programme” on reversing speed limits.

The new guidance says the Welsh Government expects most speed limit changes from 20 to 30 mph will be made on A or B roads, which are typically main or strategic routes.

Mr Skates accepted 20mph “simply makes no sense” on some roads as he recognised the strength of feeling which saw a record 460,000 people sign a petition against the policy.

He said: “I do think that showing humility and patience can dissolve anger and vexation. We’ve been trying to show humility over 20mph and we’ve been patient.”

In a statement to the Senedd on July 16, he said the refreshed guidance will help councils make the right decisions for local roads, particularly when such calls are finely balanced.

He told the debating chamber or Siambr that 30mph could be considered on strategic roads outside urban centres and rural residential roads with no nearby facilities.

Mr Skates said 30mph could also be considered for strategic transport routes, such as important bus corridors with limited pedestrian and cyclist traffic.

The minister said councils will begin to act on feedback from September and will be able to bid for funding to make speed limit changes in line with the new guidance.

But he stressed that 20mph is the right speed limit near schools, hospitals, nurseries, community centres, play areas and built-up residential areas.

Calling for 20mph to be scrapped and replaced with targeted measures, Natasha Asghar claimed the £33m policy is set to deal a £9bn blow to the Welsh economy.

The Conservatives’ shadow transport secretary raised concerns about all the emphasis being “shifted away from the government and onto local authorities”.

She asked: “Isn’t this just a case of the Welsh Government almost washing its hands of this contentious scheme and forcing councils to deal with the flak instead?”

Ms Asghar warned that people across Wales complained of difficulty in submitting feedback via council websites to have their say on speed limits.

The South Wales East MS said: “Some were saying that entering road by road was an arduous task. Some said that the council was not taking feedback. And others were saying that they were told to contact the Welsh Government directly.”

Peredur Owen Griffiths, who also represents South Wales East, recognised the economy secretary’s acknowledgement that mistakes were made in the roll-out of 20mph.

Plaid Cymru’s shadow transport secretary welcomed the “partial u-turn” on the policy, saying the government was too slow to empower councils which led to the loss of goodwill.

Mr Owen Griffiths stressed his party remains committed to the principle of 20mph as he pointed to statistics showing a fall in the number of casualties.

But he said much more needs to be done to ensure a local voice in deciding 20mph zones as he warned that engagement cannot become “another unfunded burden” on councils.

He said: “It’s all well and good to invite people to make representations but how much encouragement and publicity was given to this?”

Swansea East MS Mike Hedges welcomed the guidelines which set out that 30mph limits can be considered on strategic transport routes, particularly A and B roads.

He said: “That’s why they’re called A and B roads – I’ve been saving that to your predecessor continually, who looked at me blank most of the time.”

John Griffiths, a fellow Labour backbencher, said his constituents in Newport East are largely supportive of 20mph but people want certain roads changed.

He raised the example of stretches of the B4245, where the speed limit frequently changes, with Mr Skates recognising the route needs to revert to 30mph.

But Mr Griffiths stressed the benefits of 20mph, saying: “Every single child’s life that’s saved is absolutely invaluable and we need to look at this policy in that context.”

Climate

Pembrokeshire council to hear anti-net zero petition

Published

12 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A PETITION call to Pembrokeshire councillors, which raises concerns at the “hefty funds” needed to support its commitment to net zero, will be heard at full council next week.

Last July, councillors agreed to set up a group to review its own decision to declare a climate emergency some seven years ago.

In May 2019, the council declared a climate emergency following a notice of motion by Cllr Joshua Beynon calling on the authority to back the global consensus that climate change poses a risk to the well-being of future generations.

He had urged county councillors to back a motion to take “bold, decisive action” to fight “truly, catastrophic” climate change, with the council to committing to becoming a zero-carbon local authority by 2030.

At the July 2025 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, a successful notice of motion by the late Cllr Mike Stoddart called for the establishment of a working group to review that decision.

That led to a recent petition, by Lynda Duffill of West Wales Climate Coalition, which attracted 725 signatures, calling on the council to reaffirm its Declaration of a Climate Emergency, and retain the ambition to deliver Net Zero Council operations by 2030.

That petition was considered at the October 2025 meeting of full council; members agreeing the working group be asked to ensure the petition is included as evidence in its consideration of the matters referred to it by the council resolution in July 2025.

That has now led to a further petition, concerned at a potential increase in council tax from a re-affirmation of a Declaration of a Climate Emergency.

The latest e-petition, on the council’s own website, created by Carolyn Ellis, read: “We call upon all elected members of Pembrokeshire County Council to support and to take seriously the working group tasked with the review of the ‘climate emergency’ called in 2019 (by the-then 21-year-old councillor Joshua Beynon) and to question the hefty funds needed to spend on ‘net zero’.

“We refer to the recent petition by the West Wales Climate Coalition which purports to speak for the residents and council tax-payers of Pembrokeshire.

“There is potentially a far higher number of residents who do not share this unsubstantiated view and who are extremely concerned about the potential for huge hikes in council tax, especially if this tax is linked in future to the carbon efficiency of homes and businesses.

“This was hinted at as a possible lever for encouraging ‘compliance’ with decarbonising homes in the ‘Better Homes, Better Wales, Better World’ report. Therefore, not only could we be faced with more taxes, but also inevitable deterioration in service provision by PCC.”

The current petition ran to March 26 and attracted 753 signatures; any petition of over 500 triggers a debate at full council, the petition due to be heard at the May 14 meeting.

Local Government

Eluned Morgan resigns after losing Ceredigion Penfro Senedd seat

Published

12 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

WELSH First Minister Eluned Morgan has resigned as leader of the Labour Party after she lost her seat in a catastrophic Senedd election for the former ruling party.

Baroness Morgan was defeated in the Ceredigion Penfro constituency with Labour failing to pick up any of the six seats available in the new ward.

Plaid Cymru gained three, Reform two, and the Welsh Conservatives one as Labour trailed in fourth place in the seat.

Baroness Morgan had previously said she was at risk of losing her seat in this election, and Labour sources were reported showing a sense of unease as counting took place.

She has now stood down as First Minister and Welsh Labour leader.

The First Minister was one of 44 candidates for the Ceredigion Penfro, seven of them Labour, with a total of six seats up for grabs.

Plaid Cymru and Reform have topped opinion polls throughout this election campaign, but polls have indicated one single party may not be able to gain enough votes in the now 96 seat Senedd to govern.

During the count, unconfirmed rumours said Eluned Morgan was in danger of losing her seat.

Baroness Morgan first became an MS in 2016, becoming the sixth First Minister, and the first woman to hold the post, in 2024.

During the 2026 campaign trail, on the issue of a potential coalition or working closer with another party like Plaid Cymru, she said: “I’m not making promises on anything until after the election, what I will say is we won’t under any circumstances work with Reform, it’s important our values are clear and we wouldn’t work with them.”

The First Minister entered the count at held at Llandysul’s Ysgol Bro Teifi to a media scrum, the results for the party seeing it only slightly ahead of the Green party.

Out of 89,402 votes cast, Plaid Cymru gained 31,943; Reform 23,003; Welsh Conservatives 14,789; Labour 6,495; Green 6,324; Liberal Democrats 4,613; Gwlad 802; Heritage Party 442; Aaron Carey 368; George Alexander Chadzy 286, and Paul Haywood Dowson 88.

The six candidates elected were: Elin Jones Plaid Cymru, Susan Claire Archibald Reform, Kerry Ferguson Plaid Cymru, Welsh Conservatives Paul Windsor Davies, Paul Marr Reform, and Anna Nicholl Plaid.

Community

Fishguard astroturf ‘long overdue’ for new surface

Published

12 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL for clarity on if and when “long overdue” works on Fishguard Leisure Centre’s astroturf surface will take place is to be heard by councillors.

In a submitted question to be heard at the May 14 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, Bro Gwaun county councillor Delme Harries will ask: “I have received representations regarding the condition of the astroturf surface at Fishguard Leisure Centre which is reported to be a heavily-used facility supporting a range of local sports clubs and community activity.

“Concerns have been raised that the surface is now approaching 20 years old, and that resurfacing is now considered long overdue.

“In light of the council’s recent reviews and investments at other leisure centres in the south of the county, which are much welcomed, can the Cabinet Member please clarify: What formal assessments have been carried out on the condition and remaining lifespan of the astroturf at Fishguard Leisure Centre?

“How this facility is currently prioritised within the council’s wider leisure and sports investment programme?

“What consideration has been given to future upgrade or replacement at Fishguard, particularly in comparison with leisure facility investments made elsewhere in Pembrokeshire?”

Cllr Harries’ question is expected to be answered by the appropriate Cabinet member.

At the March meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, members backed a leisure investment programme including feasibility funding for new leisure centres in Pembroke and Milford Haven, along with works at Tenby leisure centre, with the aim of extending the lifespan of the trust-run swimming pool by at least 10 years.

For Pembroke this includes a detailed feasibility study for a new-build Leisure Centre in Pembroke, on the current school site, providing a feasibility budget of £195,000 from reserves.

For Milford Haven, members backed £1.2m (at risk) in the capital programme to develop a high-level leisure brief into the tender of the new English Medium primary and secondary school project in Milford Haven, and the pre-construction services to develop the project designs (to RIBA 4, Detailed Design) for a new leisure centre at the same time as the school.

For Tenby, members backed a grant of £4,606,667 to the Tenby and District Swimming Pool Association, as owner of the asset, for works to extend the lifespan of the current swimming pool by at least 10 years.

Members also backed other recommendations including £50,000 from reserves to procure external funding consultants to identify and secure as much funding as possible towards the delivery of the investment programme, and to establish a leisure operations review board to undertake a formal review of the leisure services operating model.