Lee Waters MS

Speech to Senedd on 25th September 2024 Llywydd, a year on I think it’s fair to say that the 20mph policy has been much criticised, but it is a policy that is succeeding in achieving its objectives. The data so far shows that  average speeds are down, as we said they would Collisions on all roads are their lowest since the Covid lockdowns  Casualties are down by 32% - which is the single most effective road safety intervention that has been made And lives have been saved - six fewer deaths in the first six months compared to the year before The Conservatives say the policy has been disastrous. I think these are results we can be proud of.  That’s the difference. Has our approach been perfect? No it has not. I commend the Cabinet Secretary for all his work in the last 6 months to engage with communities to apply common sense where it is needed. Once that process is complete I hope the police can start to enforce those areas where speeds are not coming down, and we can all get behind th

Well, it's been a bumpy ride. It was always going to be, this is a massive change, but the statistics are showing the policy is succeeding in saving lives.  In the first six months there's been a 32% drop in casualties, which is staggering. We expected to save between eight to 10 lives in the first year; in fact the lower speed limit saved six lives in the first six months. So it's at the upper end of projections. Casualties are down by a third - saving heartache for families, easing pressure on the NHS, and improving streets for people. So I think overall, it's been a huge success, but clearly it's been difficult and it's been unpopular, but it was always going to be. It would have been better if the consultation that we've now seen had come in advance, that would have made life a lot easier. There was flexibility for councils to exempt some roads, and that hasn't been used in the way it could have been done. But let's not make the perfect the enemy