11. The Restricted Roads (20 mph Speed Limit) (Wales) Order 2022

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:22 pm on 12 July 2022.

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Photo of John Griffiths John Griffiths Labour 5:22, 12 July 2022

I'm a strong supporter of 20 mph, and I do believe it's right that we turn on its head the current position, so that instead of 30 mph being the default limit and councils having to take forward exception orders in order to put 20 mph in place, 20 mph becomes the default limit and 30 mph would be the exception. I think it's very important for road safety, as we've heard, but also very important in terms of encouraging active travel, cycling and walking, and reclaiming our streets for young children to play and for older people to feel more comfortable when they're walking around. It's part of that wider agenda, I think, to stop the motor car ruling our communities and allowing human beings more space and time to do what they want to do in their own neighbourhoods. 

And it will go hand in hand with the improvements that we will see to an integrated transport system, with much better public transport provision, which, as we all know, is such an important part of persuading motorists to get out of their vehicles with all the benefits that brings—environmental and air quality, which are so important for health and the environment. So, I think there's an awful lot in favour of this policy.

I've received a lot of e-mails, as other Members mentioned, yes, some of them raising concerns, but a lot of them very much in support. And there is a pilot that was taken forward by the Conservative administration in Monmouthshire County Council prior to the last local elections—it is now a Labour administration, of course—and that pilot has proved controversial. What I've heard from local people is lots of them do support the policy generally, but they do have concerns particularly with the bypass road that bypasses Caldicot town centre. And to the credit of the new Labour administration, they've listened to local residents, and, of course, local authorities remain the highways authorities. So, they've looked at the powers that they have and the pilot, and they are now, in fact, going to remove some of that Caldicot bypass road from the pilot, having listened to local residents' concerns. So, I think that does show that local authorities are able to act, are able to listen and are able to respond to concerns.

With all that in the background, I think many, many people, when this policy is rolled out right across Wales, will see the advantages and will be supportive, and the more that time goes on, the stronger that support will be. I look forward to communities reclaiming their streets for active travel, for play, for comfort and amenity.