Despite the negative press headlines, the Welsh default 20mph limit has reduced road casualties according to new figures.

Provisional data from the Welsh government reveals a fall of more than a quarter from January to March this year compared to the same period last year.

Making a point

In September 2023, Wales became the first nation in the UK to introduce a default 20mph speed limit.

The change applied to restricted roads only, usually in residential and built-up areas.

Official figures published by the Welsh Government show 78 people were killed or seriously injured on 20mph and 30mph roads between January and March 2024.

This compares to 101 in the first quarter of 2023

There were five fatalities on 20mph and 30mph roads in 2024, compared to 11 in the same period in 2023.

The figures also show a 26% reduction in casualties of all severities.

Cutting casualties

Figures show 377 casualties in the first quarter of this year, a 26% reduction from 510 in the same period in 2023.

There was also a drop of 19% from those recorded in the previous quarter, October to December 2023, when there were 463 casualties.

This significant decline is directly attributed to the Welsh Labour government’s introduction of default 20mph speed limits on restricted roads last September.

These roads, typically residential or busy pedestrian areas with streetlights, previously had a 30mph limit.

Across the board

A closer look at the figures shows slight injuries on these roads fell from 409 to 299, a 27% reduction.

In the first quarter of 2024, there were 316 road collisions on 20 and 30mph roads, including five fatal, 69 serious, and 242 slight incidents.

This represents a 17% decrease from the previous quarter (379 collisions) and a 25% drop compared to the same quarter in 2023 (421 collisions).

The total number of police-reported collisions on all Welsh roads from January to March this year was 606, 18% lower than the previous quarter (737) and 17% lower than last year (733).

It is important to note that these statistics only account for road collisions reported by the police that resulted in personal injury.

Positive start

A Welsh government spokesperson commented, “We expect data to fluctuate over the next few years as drivers adjust to the new speed. We’ve still got a way to go, but every casualty reduced makes a difference.

“The principal objective of the policy has always been to reduce casualties and help people feel safer in their communities, and today’s data reinforces we’re on the way to achieving this.”

The figures have been welcomed by 20’s Plenty for Us.

20s Plentyh For Us also points to research from Esure, with the insurance company finding vehicle damage claims have reduced by 20% since the default 20mph speed limit was introduced in Wales.

Adrian Berendt, community champion for 20’s Plenty for Us, said: “Initial results show the benefit to Welsh communities of safer roads and better places following the implementation of the 20mph default.

“Data from Esure showed how lower speeds led to fewer vehicle damage claims in the last quarter of 2023. Now, we can see from the first six months of the 20mph default how casualties are also reducing.

“20’s Plenty congratulates politicians, local authority representatives and community leaders, as well as the vast majority of drivers who have altered their behaviour to make roads in Welsh communities better places to be. Diolch Am 20.”