20 mph speed limit.

[gavroche]

The Welsh government is introducing a 20 mph speed limits all over Wales in town centres and sensitive areas as from September 2023.The idea is to encourage people to walk more or take up cycling. Fines will be 100 pounds and 3 points for breaking the law.
Personally, I don't think people will walk more or cycle more as a result but it will certainly bring more money to the Welsh government which, I believe , is the real reason behind the scheme.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

This came up on my Facebook feed earlier.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-62020427

 

[winjim]

This came up on my Facebook feed earlier.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-62020427

'Bikes are overtaking cars'. Well boo farking hoo. Honestly, the level of entitlement.

'Cyclists are having a whale of a time'. Yes that's the point.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

The Welsh government is introducing a 20 mph speed limits all over Wales in town centres and sensitive areas as from September 2023.The idea is to encourage people to walk more or take up cycling. Fines will be 100 pounds and 3 points for breaking the law.
Personally, I don't think people will walk more or cycle more as a result but it will certainly bring more money to the Welsh government which, I believe , is the real reason behind the scheme.

I don't know if it's still (or was ever) true, but a few years ago I read something that claimed we had more 20mph limits than anywhere else in the Country.

We would have had more, but they decided it was a bit of waste of money, given it wasn't that often cars reached 20 mph anyway.

Wales could just hire our highways team for a bit, they're experts at slowing traffic down, although I don't think that was really their aim to be honest.

 

[MontyVeda]

The Welsh government is introducing a 20 mph speed limits all over Wales in town centres and sensitive areas as from September 2023.The idea is to encourage people to walk more or take up cycling. Fines will be 100 pounds and 3 points for breaking the law.
Personally, I don't think people will walk more or cycle more as a result but it will certainly bring more money to the Welsh government which, I believe , is the real reason behind the scheme.

ah yes, the old fine speeding motorists solely to make money angle... have i joined Pistonheads?

 

[jowwy]

I agree with the welsh government, the speeds some people drive up and down the roads around me are shocking…..even outside the entrance to the wellbeing centre, it needs to be controlled better.

 

[MontyVeda]

It's a 20 mph limit outside my house. Has been for several years now. Most drivers ignore it.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

It's immaterial as It's nothing without enforcement, okay not in Wales, in the car I slowed down to 30mph as I came into our village on Saturday & was promptly overtaken by the car, which continued on at their estimated 40mph. Going out of the village this morning on the bike I was overtaken by a car again estimated over 40mph close to a pedestrian refuge so much so they nearly lost control as they had to swerve to clear it.

 

[BoldonLad]

Speed limits without enforcement are pointless.

 

[mustang1]

What is the fine for driving over 30mph in a 30 zone? Is ot the same as driving over 20 in a 20 zone?

 

[winjim]

I'm not sure they're entirely pointless without enforcement, I mean what proportion of speed limits in the country are actually enforced? They might have the effect of modifying behaviour and making drivers think. And if they're driving 40 in a 30 then maybe they'll slow to 30 in a 20 which maybe isn't ideal but does represent some sort of improvement.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Evidence shows that these schemes make a small but worthwhile difference to vehicle speeds. Particularly the fastest drivers go more slowly.

Not going to solve everything but a small step in the right direction and would be transformative if automatic speed limiting comes into force, as it hopefully will.

 

[oldwheels]

There is a 20mph street in front of my house. Any drivers who see the signs read them as 50mph.

 

[lazybloke]

It's immaterial as It's nothing without enforcement, okay not in Wales, in the car I slowed down to 30mph as I came into our village on Saturday & was promptly overtaken by the car, which continued on at their estimated 40mph. Going out of the village this morning on the bike I was overtaken by a car again estimated over 40mph close to a pedestrian refuge so much so they nearly lost control as they had to swerve to clear it.

The 20 limit is ignored by some, but most drivers reduce their speed to some extent, and the following flow of traffic is stuck at the same speed (unless they make the decision to both speed AND overtake, which raises the additional risk of "driving without due care and attention"). Obviously it would be more effective with policing, but self-enforcement does exist.

More importantly, the 20 limit is just one of a huge number of changes (past, present and future) that individually look trivial, but in concert are gradually making the roads more hospitable to vulnerable users.

As a driver, I don't like the 20 limit, that is its point. As a pedestrian, cyclist or resident, I love it.

No, not immaterial at all

 

[Pat "5mph"]

@gavroche don't worry about a motoring thing
Here, by here I mean in Glasgow city and outskirts, there are 20mph zones aplenty, speed bumps and all.
My bike and I know that those signs are worth zero attention to the discerning motorist.
By discerning, I mean those drivers that know there's no chance of their speeding getting found out.