Do 20mph speed limits save lives? 100 fewer casualties in Wales sparks UK debate

A dramatic reduction of road casualties in Wales has been attributed to the introduction of blanket 20mph speed limits by Welsh Labour back in September 2023, sparking calls for the UK Government to extend this scheme to the rest of the nation.

Between July and September of 2024, there were 410 casualties caused by collisions on 20 and 30mph roads in Wales; three resulted in fatalities, 90 people were seriously injured and the rest suffered minor injuries. Compare this with the same period the previous year, just before the 20mph scheme was introduced, and you’ll find that there were roughly 100 fewer people killed or seriously injured, marking a 28 per cent reduction overall and the lowest total in recorded history.

Such a marked decline in the number of casualties has led many to call for the UK government to mirror the scheme, which essentially decreases the standard 30mph limit to 20mph (except in certain cases), in England and Scotland.

Luca Straker, the campaigns manager for road safety charity, Brake, said in a statement that “The evidence is clear: in places where speed limits have been lowered, we see fewer collisions, and fewer deaths and serious injuries – and Wales has proven this once again.”

They continued, calling on Westminster to “follow the Welsh Government’s lead and commit to adopting 20mph default speed limits in urban areas in their upcoming Road Safety Strategy.”

However, Labour Welsh Transport Secretary, Ken Skates, was a little more cautious about the impact of the speed limit reduction, telling Sky News that while he “welcomes” the latest figures, the Welsh government will “be undertaking three evaluations so that we can say with absolute certainty then whether or not this policy has contributed to an accelerated reduction in the number of collisions, serious injuries and deaths.”

The opposition, on the other hand, remains skeptical in regard to the tangible effect of lowering speed limits. Conservative Shadow Welsh Transport Secretary, Peter Fox, also welcomed fewer casualties, but warned the public that “these figures don't tell the whole story.”

Since its inception, the blanket 20mph speed limit scheme has been a controversial topic in Wales and the rest of the UK. Many feel such schemes slow traffic down and would be better focused around high-risk areas like hospitals and schools. In fact, many local authorities have switched from 20mph limits back to 30mph after residents complained, with the necessary expenses funded by the political party, Plaid Cymru.

When asked by Auto Express whether it would consider introducing blanket 20mph limits across England and Scotland, as spokesperson for the Department for Transport said the government has “no plans” to do so. However, they did add that “speed limits are a matter for local authorities as they know their areas best – there are no plans to change this.”

Do you think the blanket 20mph speed limit scheme should be extended to the rest of the country? Let us know in the comments...