On Sunday, September 17 Wales will become the first UK nation to introduce a new default 20mph speed limit on restricted roads.

To prepare motorists for this significant change, the Welsh Government and the police are working with the fire service, Go Safe (Wales’ Road Casualty Reduction Partnership), local authorities and other community groups to educate motorists. 

At roadsides across Wales, fire service staff will work with partners, to stop speeding motorists in 20mph areas and offer them the opportunity to watch an educational video rather than face a fine of prosecution.

The video warns about the dangers of excessive speeds and highlights the benefits of slower speed. It is only offered to those motorists not driving excessively over the speed limit.

Reducing speed will not only save lives but will help build stronger, safer communities, Deputy Climate Change Minister Lee Waters said earlier this summer.

Described by the minister as the ‘biggest step-change in community safety in a generation’, most streets in Wales that currently have a 30mph speed limit will switch to 20mph on Sunday, September 17.

The change comes after four years of work with local authorities, police and road safety experts to design a change in law, making Wales the first UK nation to reset the default speed limit for local roads.

Mr Waters continued: “In Wales we do things differently, we look after each other and trust the science.

“Evidence shows that a vehicle travelling at 30mph will still be travelling at 24mph in the time it would take a car travelling 20mph to stop.

“Reducing speed not only saves lives; it will help build stronger, safer communities - better places to live our lives.”