A Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary has refused to rule out 10mph zones in Wales.

Laura Anne Jones Welsh Conservative Senedd Member for South Wales East asked the Welsh Government for a statement ruling out implementing 10mph zones across her region and Wales, after the road safety charity The Road Safety Foundation, proposed that this new limit should be applied to thousands of miles of roads.

Speaking in the Senedd, Welsh Government Minister Jane Hutt failed to rule out the move, and appeared to endorse calls from the charity that 5mph speed limits are also appropriate, stating: “Based on evidence, that in some circumstances, 10 mph, let alone 10 mph, 5 mph is appropriate in terms of road speeds.

“I think all the evidence has shown that the roll-out of the 20 mph speed limit in Wales, as appropriately instigated by local authorities, has not only saved lives, cut insurance bills, but actually has now been welcomed by the people of Wales.”

The charity also recommended that single-carriageway roads, including country roads, should have a maximum 20mph limit.

Laura Anne Jones said: “I’m incredibly disappointed that the Welsh Government hasn’t taken the opportunity to rule out 10mph speed zones or extending their disastrous 20mph to even more roads.

Laura Anne Jones said: “I’m incredibly disappointed that the Welsh Government hasn’t taken the opportunity to rule out 10mph speed zones or extending their disastrous 20mph to even more roads.
Laura Anne Jones said: “I’m incredibly disappointed that the Welsh Government hasn’t taken the opportunity to rule out 10mph speed zones or extending their disastrous 20mph to even more roads.” (Welsh Conservatives)

“The 20mph speed limit has already been a disaster, and reducing the limit to 10mph would be an attack on motorists that would see runners and mobility scooters overtaking cars. It would be farcical, and it needs to be nipped in the bud.

“Everyone would support 20mph outside schools and hospitals, but this never-ending attack on motorists has to stop. I will continue to press the Welsh Government for this reassurance.”

More Welsh Conservative Senedd Members have condemned such proposals, after the recent report by the Road Safety Foundation advocated further reductions in road speed limits, alongside comments from the Welsh Government in the Senedd chamber suggesting that, in some cases, speed limits as low as 10mph or even 5mph could be appropriate.

Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Transport & Infrastructure, Sam Rowlands MS, said: “Labour’s 20mph speed limit has been a disaster for Wales and any consideration of lowering it further is ludicrous.

“The Labour-run Welsh Government is leading a war on motorists and slowing Wales down.

“The Welsh Conservatives are the only party in the Senedd committed to scrapping Labour’s 20mph speed limit.”

South Wales Central MS and Former Welsh Conservative Senedd Leader Andrew RT Davies also slammed Labour Senedd ministers, after they failed to rule out reducing speed limits to 10mph, stating: “It is frankly ludicrous that Labour Senedd ministers have failed to rule out reducing the speed limit to 10mph on Welsh roads.

“You would’ve thought they’d learn from the backlash to their 20mph policy – but instead, Jane Hutt claimed it had been welcomed by the people of Wales.

“Ridiculously, she also appeared to back calls for speed limits to be reduced to 5mph in some circumstances. Senedd ministers must get out of Cardiff Bay and start talking to real people in our communities.”