Buckley 20mph: Flintshire council asks Welsh government to review main road speed limits as matter of “high priority”
Flintshire council has confirmed it has asked the Welsh government to review the 20mph speed limit on main arterial roads in Buckley as a matter of a “high priority.”
There has been uproar in the town which is one of eight ‘pilots’ areas across Wales where 20mph will be the national default speed limit on residential roads and “busy pedestrian streets.”
New 20mph speed limits came into force on Monday, 28 February, in Buckley, Drury, Burntwood, Alltami, New Brighton, Mynydd Isa, and Bryn Baal.
Residents say they were not consulted properly on the move despite Flintshire council stating an “extensive period of informal consultations with the local communities as well as the undertaking of the required statutory consultation.”
The Welsh government has said making 20mph the default speed limit in residential areas across Wales will help to reduce accidents, and save lives.
But residents have said the new speed limits are targeting wrong roads such as Liverpool Road, the main arterial route through Buckley.
In a statement today, Flintshire council has said: “Following an approach to Welsh Government about the recent implementation of a 20mph speed limit in Buckley, the Leader of Flintshire County Council, Councillor Ian Roberts, has welcomed a positive response from the Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters.”
The Leader of the Council, Councillor Ian Roberts, said: “Whilst we support Welsh Government’s rollout of a 20mph speed limited in residential areas and busy pedestrian streets, we have listened to concerns from local residents since the implementation of a 20mph speed limit in Buckley on 28 February and have asked Welsh Government to consider reviewing the exceptions criteria that led to the introduction of a 20mph speed limit on the main arterial roads.”
Cllr Roberts said: “Given the extent of the feedback received from the local community, we are pleased that the Deputy Minister has acknowledged this feedback and said that whilst 20mph is currently the default, Welsh Government will look at the speed limit on main arterial roads by reviewing the exceptions criteria prior to the scheme being rolled out further across Wales in 2023.”
“We appreciate that the matter is attracting increasing attention within the local community and have requested that the matter be dealt with as a high priority.”
He Said: “The Council will work with Welsh Government to lead any future community engagement to ensure that local residents are given the opportunity to provide their input in to any proposed changes to the exceptions criteria.”
Flintshire’s Chief Executive, Neal Cockerton, said: “I am aware of the contribution made by local councillors in Buckley who have been receiving a high volume of enquiries.”
“I therefore welcome Welsh Government’s decision to consider the exceptions criteria as a matter of urgency so that matters in relation to this can be further clarified and progress made.”
Asked specifically about Buckley and Liverpool Road on BBC Radio Wales this morning, Lee Waters MS said: “In the issue of Buckley, and in other areas, as I said at the beginning, we’ve changed the order of things.”
“We think 20 (mph) is a default, but you can make a case for 30 (mph).”
“Every area in Wales, before this comes in later on next year, will have a chance to say, this road makes sense to be 20 (mph), but actually, this one should be an exception.”
Mr Waters said: “There is a series of tests we will set for when you should make an exception, and that’s one of the things we’re trailing.”
“Now clearly we’re hearing very strongly in Buckley that they think Liverpool Road through the town should be a 30 (mph).”
The minister said he has been talking this week to Councillor Ian Roberts, the leader of Flintshire council, “who is saying to us, we’re not sure we got this right, would you be willing to look again at it.”
“I have written to him this morning to say we were willing to look again, in the case of Buckley at Liverpool Road and should that be outside of the consultation.” He said.
“That’s why we’re trialling it, we haven’t brought it in one big bang across Wales, we’ve picked eight areas where we’re going say we’ll experiment with different bits.”
“We’ll learn from it and we’ll use that learning to change the main rollout next year.” He added.
Letter to Cllr Roberts:
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