20 Wales

[mik]

So apparently Wales has now switched to 20mph limits as a default for urban roads, with the potential to apply 30mph only through special application.

Fucking idiots.

[nuttinnew]

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

I wonder how much it'll be enforced, or if it's being used to get the people who speed in 30 zones down to 30? I don't mind 20 zones, many are applied well and I think the variable ones at school time are a good idea, but a change of speed limit does not an arsehole stop.

[jamcg]

Middlesborough did this it’s a pain in the arse and they do speed camera some if it. One of our lads got caught doing 24 in the van. They purposely picked a site where the road goes downhill to get as many people as possible

[Simon]

It's a nonsense. What kind of moron thinks that 20 is the right limit for every urban road without proper evaluation of each? No doubt there would be some where even 30 was too slow before and 20 will be ridiculous. 20's are great in the right circumstances, but will lead to frustration if not properly applied.

In many ways this is why you want km/h. Lots of urban areas in Spain and Portugal go for 40km/h (25mph) which is a much better and more realistic target. And even 10km/h increase is only 6mph or so so it's easier to be more granular.

[drcarlos]

So apparently Wales has now switched to 20mph limits as a default for urban roads, with the potential to apply 30mph only through special application.

Fucking idiots.

Great going there at the weekend, will have to be vigilant, despite being partly Welsh i've actively avoided going there as they try to out commie the Scottish.

[nuttinnew]

as they try to out commie the Scottish.

Comru

[Ascender]

It's a nonsense. What kind of moron thinks that 20 is the right limit for every urban road without proper evaluation of each? No doubt there would be some where even 30 was too slow before and 20 will be ridiculous. 20's are great in the right circumstances, but will lead to frustration if not properly applied.

Edinburgh has a mix now - so as you approach the centre, the main, large roads in are 30mph+, but then when you get in to the centre, its 20mph. Apart from on the streets where its not. Some residential streets off the main roads are clearly 20mph with a nice big sign when you turn in to them so you remember, but I'll be honest, for a lot of the rest of it, I'm constantly checking what speed limit I'm in. So in some ways I can see the logic of a blanket 20mph zone, even if it does feel like you'd be quicker walking.

It reminds me of Glasgow centre, where every 100 yards or so you're trying to read the road ahead and understand what's a one way street, which lane is which, which roads only buses can go down... whilst also trying to keep up with the flow of traffic. Its nuts if you're not a local.

[Mito Man]

I reckon it’ll be 10 mph in busy areas by the end of the decade. Complete with the usual road safety advice that 10 mph saves emissions, reduces stopping distances and of course if you hit someone they’re 23 times less likely to die.

[Carlos]

I've spent a lot of time in the car with my learner daughter the last 10 weeks and it's surprising how much of the built up areas are already an advisory 20.

It's a typical hammer to crack a walnut road safety policy and although I don't agree with a blanket 20 feel there should be lower and enforced restrictions around schools, parks and town centres. There's so many park cars, vans dropping off and just sheer volume of traffic that i get the dangers particularly to cyclists and the young and old.

It's also not a blanket 20 there is some discretion to keep some 30's that aren't in built up areas so it may not be as intrusive as it first seems !

[Barry]

It's a typical hammer to crack a walnut road safety policy..

This basically. Cheaper to keep the whole class back than teach the one naughty child to behave. Dumb everything down to the lowest level, rather than educate and bring them up to a perfectly usable existing level.

Quite a lot of research suggesting accidents go up in 20 limits, but because the headline death figures are better, all good.

[scotta]

It's a nonsense. What kind of moron thinks that 20 is the right limit for every urban road without proper evaluation of each? No doubt there would be some where even 30 was too slow before and 20 will be ridiculous. 20's are great in the right circumstances, but will lead to frustration if not properly applied.

Edinburgh has a mix now - so as you approach the centre, the main, large roads in are 30mph+, but then when you get in to the centre, its 20mph. Apart from on the streets where its not. Some residential streets off the main roads are clearly 20mph with a nice big sign when you turn in to them so you remember, but I'll be honest, for a lot of the rest of it, I'm constantly checking what speed limit I'm in. So in some ways I can see the logic of a blanket 20mph zone, even if it does feel like you'd be quicker walking.

It reminds me of Glasgow centre, where every 100 yards or so you're trying to read the road ahead and understand what's a one way street, which lane is which, which roads only buses can go down... whilst also trying to keep up with the flow of traffic. Its nuts if you're not a local.

The 20mph limit in Edinburgh is universally ignored.