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FIRST TWO ROADS IN WALES HAVE REVERTED BACK TO 30MPH FOLLOWING A PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND RESIDENTS OF WREXHAM HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO SAY THE LEAST JACK FIFIELD 15:35, 30 May 2025Updated 15:35,
30 May 2025 Motorists in the first UK community to overturn 20mph speed limits have welcomed the return to 30mph and admitted most people ignored it anyway. The lower limit was introduced on
‘restricted roads’ - usually in residential and built-up areas - across the whole of Wales in September 2023. It sparked a backlash from drivers and the Welsh government agreed to allow
local authorities the power to revert some roads back to the original 30mph. Earlier this month the first two roads in Wales reverted back to 30mph following a public consultation. They are
both on the outskirts of Wrexham - the B5605 Wrexham Road in the village of Johnstown and the nearby A525 Bryn-Y-Grog Road. Homeowner Anna Roberts, 60, has lived on Wrexham Road for 15 years
and said the lower limit made no difference to the speed of traffic. “I think sometimes it is ridiculous going at 20,” she said. “I think around schools and stuff, how it was before, then
fine. Article continues below “In places where there have been accidents and statistics show that 20 would be safer, but I can’t see that it makes any difference here.” The part-time office
worker admitted that she regularly travelled above 20mph. She added: “If it’s a road like this I’d keep to 25 or 26, if it’s around a school I’d go down to 20. I would say that I’ve rarely
gone down to 20 in a place that I didn’t think it needed to be 20. I don’t think many people do though. “Going along, if you’ve got someone going at 20 there’s a queue of traffic behind
them.” According to Statistics Wales, recorded road collisions on 20 and 30 mph roads last year were at the lowest level since records began - with 1,751 casualties - a 20% decrease since
2023, or the largest yearly fall apart from 2020, during the pandemic. At the BP petrol station in Johnstown, motorists were united in their opposition to the blanket 20mph limit. Mike
Robson, 38, said the 20 mph limit had been ‘messing people’s heads up’. He said: “Some areas go from 40 to 20 back to 40 again, which is a bit confusing for people. “I’ve been caught out
speeding in the 20 mph areas where it’s been a road like this, and it’s been a bit confusing because some roads have changed or they’re changing back. “I don’t really know what’s going on,
to be honest.” The energy company director, who owns a Vauxhall Insignia, BMW, and a Range Rover, said he would like to see more roads change back to 30 mph limits from 20 - and added that
he’d seen a crash in a nearby town which he blamed on the lower limit. He added: “There’s a lot of people getting angry as well, it does feel weird being on a road like this doing 20, and I
know that it affects some vehicles - especially high-performance vehicles. “I’ve got a lot of high-performance vehicles and they don’t go very well at 20, so you find a lot of juddering
about. “I’ve seen crashes, especially the older generation where they want to go bang on 20, and as soon as they slow down people behind, people behind are in a backlog, and it’s like a
ripple effect down the traffic. “The fourth car at the end ends up hitting the back, that’s what happened in Broughton.” Claire Dodd, 54, was filling her van at the petrol station. While she
appreciated the aims of the 20mph limit, the professional dog walker said she didn’t think it was appropriate everywhere. She said: “If somebody’s in front of you doing 25, you probably
keep up with them - if you’ve got somebody at the back of you if you’re doing 20 or 18, you feel under pressure. “I think there’s a sensible approach to it, I think there’s a definite need
for 20 mph in residential areas where schools are, but like I said this is a main trunk road - it’s a busy road to do 20. “They’ve got lots of pedestrian crossings and lots of traffic lights
along this road, so I think it’s fine back how it is now. “In some areas I think it’s a benefit and it needs to stay in place, but if they’re re-assessing certain roads, this road was one
of the good ones to pick I think.” Last week, the Welsh government’s transport secretary Ken Skates said: “The principal objective of the policy is to save lives and reduce casualties - and
we know there is widespread evidence it does that. “However, this is about getting the right speeds on the right roads, building from the broad consensus that 20mph is right where people
live, work and play. “I am pleased that Wrexham Council has managed to strike a balance and has started to make the changes following feedback from local people. Article continues below “Our
updated guidance allows local authorities to consider making changes where it is safe and appropriate to do so.”