On 25th September, there was a discussion referred to as the “7. Welsh Conservatives Debate: 20mph speed limits” with MS, (Member of Senedd, the Welsh Parliament) including Labour, Conservative and Plaid Cymru members. John Griffiths the Labour MS for Newport East spoke and referred to the “experience in Bristol and Brighton, for example, where they found that having extensive 20 mph speed limits reduced speed generally, because it changes driver behaviour generally on all roads, with the obvious benefits that follow from that.” Here is the comment from John Griffith:

Llywydd, I’ve believed for a long time, and still believe, that a default 20 mph policy is the right one, and I believe that the Welsh Government was right to introduce it, and the review is also the correct thing to do. And following that review, I am sure some adjustments will be made, reflecting the views of local people as to which roads should revert back to 30 mph, and obviously we will see the outcome of that exercise in short order.

I do think, Llywydd, that it’s fairly extraordinary that we’ve heard from two Welsh Conservative Members with very little—in fact, I’m not sure any—mention of road safety. It’s so obviously important, isn’t it, that a policy introduced primarily to improve road safety should be viewed and examined in the light of what’s happened since in terms of road safety? But obviously there are some inconvenient facts there, in the post-implementation experience, as far as the Welsh Conservatives are concerned.

So, we have two quarters of data now, post implementation of the default 20 mph limit, compared to the similar period before commencement, which shows lower speeds, fewer casualties and reduced vehicle damage claims. That’s some pretty strong evidence, I would suggest, in terms of the success of the policy in lowering speed, preventing accidents and reducing deaths and casualties. So, in Wales then, for that six-month period following roll-out, compared to the previous period before commencement, taking 20 and 30 mph roads together, we see casualties reduce from 1,191 to 840—a fall of 29 per cent. And, at the same time, casualties on other roads also reduced, which I think speaks to the experience in Bristol and Brighton, for example, where they found that having extensive 20 mph speed limits reduced speed generally, because it changes driver behaviour generally on all roads, with the obvious benefits that follow from that. 

It is extraordinary, isn’t it, that we’ve heard virtually nothing around that post-implementation experience in terms of road safety, in terms of deaths, casualties and collisions from the Welsh Conservatives? I’m sure that people following this debate today, and what we’ve heard from the Welsh Conservatives up to this point today, will be struck by the lack of mention of what may be seen by many as inconvenient facts for those Welsh Conservatives.

When it comes to some of the financial aspects, Llywydd, we know from esure, the insurance company—we all know that insurance companies are hard-headed, they operate in that real world of finances and financial advantage for those that are in business, to make a profit—they are reducing policy premiums by some £50 for those of their customers who are in these extensive 20 mph limit areas. It’s estimated that if 20 mph was rolled out right across the UK in the way that it has been in Wales, that would result in some £1.4 billion-worth of savings for motorists who would be affected in that way. In Wales, that would result in savings of tens of millions of pounds. I give way.