Road casualties on lower-speed roads across Wales have fallen by more than a third compared with before the introduction of the default 20mph speed limit, new figures reveal.

Provisional Welsh Government statistics published on Thursday, 29 October, show that casualties on roads with 20mph and 30mph limits were 35 percent lower between April and June 2026 than during the same period in 2023.

The number of collisions on those roads also fell by 37 percent over the three-year period.

Compared with April to June 2025, collisions across all Welsh roads decreased by 19 percent, while casualties fell by 20 percent.

On 20mph and 30mph roads specifically, collisions declined by 22 percent and casualties by 20 percent over the same 12-month period.

The figures represent the lowest recorded levels for the equivalent reporting period, excluding those recorded during the Covid pandemic.

Wales introduced a default 20mph speed limit on most previously restricted 30mph roads in September 2023, including residential streets throughout Ceredigion and Powys.

Following a review in 2025, Ceredigion County Council decided to retain the limits introduced on county roads, having identified no further changes, the council said correspondence indicated many residents welcomed the limits. The council’s review also excluded major trunk roads such as the A487 and A44, which remain the Welsh Government’s responsibility.

Deputy Minister for Transport Mark Hooper welcomed the latest figures. He said: "These latest figures are extremely encouraging and provide more evidence that the 20mph default speed limit is helping to make our roads safer."

However, the Welsh Government cautioned that the statistics remain provisional and quarterly figures can fluctuate.

The reductions cover Wales as a whole and do not establish how much of the change was caused by the lower speed limit.

Officials say further monitoring will continue as part of their evaluation of the policy.