Welsh Government defends 20mph limit amid police boss claims of no casualty evidence

The Welsh Government has issued a statement after North Wales police bosses said they had no evidence that the 20mph speed limit had reduced casualties.

The force’s chief constable and crime commissioner made the statement last week at a North Wales Police and Crime Panel at Conwy County Council’s Bodlondeb HQ.

North Wales Police’s Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin and Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman said they were unable to provide, or hadn’t seen, evidence that the 20mph speed limit had reduced casualties.

The 20mph default speed limit was introduced on restricted roads by the Welsh Government on 17 September 2023.

The Welsh Government has now said there has been a long-term decrease in both casualties and collisions.

A Welsh Government spokeswoman said: “The latest data shows that collisions on local roads have reduced significantly.

“We will continue to monitor the long-term trend, but things are heading in the right direction.

“We also recognise some roads should revert back to 30mph, which is precisely what will happen as a result of our review.”

The Welsh Government said in the first quarter of 2024 there were 811 road casualties reported in Wales. Of these casualties 16 (2%) were killed.

188 (23%) people were seriously injured. 607 (75%) had slight injuries.

A Welsh Governments spokeswoman said: “The total number of casualties is 17% lower than in the previous quarter (982) and 16% lower than in the same quarter in 2023 (968).”

The Welsh Government also claimed road collisions had reduced.

According to data in the first quarter of 2024, there were 606 police-reported road collisions in Wales.

Of these collisions 16 (3%) were fatal. 163 (27%) were serious collisions. 427 (70%) were slight collisions.

The total number of collisions is 18% lower than in the previous quarter (737) and 17% lower than in the same quarter in 2023 (733).

The Welsh Government also said the number of police-recorded road collisions in the first quarter of 2024 is the lowest quarterly figure recorded in Wales outside the Covid-19 period and that the number of quarterly road collisions in Wales has been declining over the last decade.

By Richard Evans – Local Democracy Reporter