Sections of the A487 at Aberystwyth and Machynlleth will revert to a 30mph speed limit, the Welsh Government has said, following a review.

In September 2023, the default speed limit for residential and unrestricted roads changed to 20mph.

Since then, new guidance has led to a review of all roads, with a review now being completed for Wales’ trunk roads.

The Welsh Government has proposed reverting some 20mph zones back to 30mph, while other areas will get ‘buffer speed limits’ to break up where a 60mph zone becomes a 20mph zone straight away.

Among the proposals is increasing the speed limit back to 30mph on the A487 at Aberystwyth, Southgate and Trefechan, while also increasing the limit to 30mph on the A487 at Machynlleth.

The currently part time 20mph limit section of the A487 in Aberaeron will be made permanently 20mph.

The speed limit on the A487 at Corris Uchaf will be decreased to 20mph, with a buffer speed limit put in place.

Part of the A494 at Bala will see the speed limit increased back to 30mph, with a buffer limit introduced before the remaining 20mph section.

For the A44 at Llangurig, A470 at Llan Ffestiniog, the A487 at Talybont, buffer speed limits are proposed for existing 20mph speed limit stretches of road.

For the A487 at Bow Street and the A470 at Llan Ffestiniog, the speed limits will not change, bjut the review will “consider if a pedestrian crossing is needed.”

No changes are proposed to other trunk roads.

A review into 20mph speed limits on roads across the county - not including the A487 and A44, which are the responsibility of the Welsh Government - was conducted by Ceredigion County Council, but the authority decided that no changes were necessary.

A record 460,000 signed a Senedd petition against the blanket 20mph speed limit policy in built up areas.

20mph limits grew from covering two per cent of Welsh roads to 37 per cent virtually overnight on 17 September 2023.

It was decided in 2024 that some roads would revert back to 30mph.”

The Welsh Government said: “We are proposing changes to some 20mph or 30mph speed limits on the trunk road network.

“We are also considering introducing buffer speed limits in some areas.

“These are short sections of road approaching or leaving a 20mph or 30mph speed limit. They help drivers slow down more gradually.

“For example, if a driver is travelling at 60mph and is about to enter a 20mph speed limit, we may add a short 40mph section in between.

“We may also use buffer speed limits even when the main speed limit on a road is not changing.

“All speed limit changes will need new Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs).

“People can object to planned changes when the draft TROs are published.

“The legal process for TROs can take nine months.

“Speed limits may not change on these roads until early 2027.”

Last year, Ceredigion County Council decided not to change any 20mph speed limits in the county.