Perspectives on Blanket 20mph Limits
In this section we offer the following perspectives from those opposed to blanket 20mph limits
- The Mind Driving Perspective
- A Drivers Perspective
- The Perspective of the Alliance Of British Drivers
- A Driving Examiners Perspective
- The Perspective Of A Driver Visiting Wales’
- A Petition to Stop the Unreasonable Reduction of the UK Speed Limit to 20mph.
Our conclusions are to stop infantilising drivers and allowi properly qualified road engineers who are not conflicted by woke ideology to start setting all speed limits rationally once more. This is not a task for politicians!
The Mind Driving Perspective On 20mph Speed Limits
In the section “All About Crashes” we noted that that the risk of crashing is a function of three factors which must be kept in balance:
The Mind Driving Risk Model teaches that emphasis on speed in isolation leads drivers to wrongly assess risk. It destroys the possibility of achieving the balance required by the model and thereby sub-optimises safety.
The most egregious example of this is the blanket mandate for 20mph limits throughout Wales and in more and more towns, cities and villages elsewhere with no end to this lunacy currently in sight.
Otherwise safe drivers are now forced to drive with their eyes glued to their speedometers for fear of amassing fines and penalty points on their driving licence when they ought to be concentrating on the road on the lookout for Surprises.
Other drivers on 20mph roads distract them by ‘tailgating’ and reckless and impatient overtaking occurs the moment the 20mph stretch ends. Frustration and road rage is therefore common and even pedestrians complain that there are fewer gaps in the traffic in which to cross the road.
One of the most frustrating situations is the application of unreasonably low speed limits at all times of the day and night. Drivers can find themselves having to travel in this manner along clear roads with plenty of Space in front of them and zero risk of Surprises.
This can only be viewed as naked control and should exceeding the speed limit in this situation is a form of entrapment.
By crying wolf and making 20mph ubiquitous, the impact of sensible measures to encourage 20mph outside schools and a few other places at certain times of day is destroyed.
The ’20’s Plenty’ initiative must surely rank on a par with removing the hard shoulder from motorways in terms of its manifest stupidity, but that doesnt worrry the authoritarians who promote it because safety is evidently not their highest priority.
A Driver’s Perspective On 20mph Limits
This list from a driver appeared on social media. It neatly summaises what many people have been saying about being forced to drive at 20mph in Wales:
1) It is just too slow!
2) it is very easy to exceed it if you don’t watch your speedometer all the time. Safer to keep your eyes on the road.
3) Cars running slowly in lower gears actually use more fuel which adds to air pollution.
4) Anti pollution devices such as catalytic converters and particulate filters never reach their optimum working temperatures, which again adds to air pollution. Also can cause vehicle unreliability and expensive repairs.
5) Many cruise controls and speed limiters cannot be set to less than 40 kph or 25 mph.
6) The 30 mph urban speed limit was introduced in 1934, when most vehicles had inefficient cable or rod operated drum brakes, sometimes only on the rear wheels. Modern vehicles with hydraulic disk brakes and ABS can stop in a fraction of the distance.
7) it is widely disliked and brings the law into disrepute!
8) Even drivers with many years of conviction free motoring suddenly find themselves fined with penalty points for ‘speeding’ at as little as 23 mph. This is especially serious for professional drivers who risk losing their licences!
9) It apparently reduces the number of collisions but not the fatality and serious injury rate, especially for cyclists. It is difficult to safely overtake cyclists with such a small speed differential
Additional Comments Culled From Social Media
“Since this 20mph blanket I see everyday more and more accidents. Im sure more people use these roads to keep away from slower now congested roads”.
The Perspective Of The Alliance Of British Drivers’ On 20mph Limits
I am grateful to ‘Driving Sense’ (formerly The Alliance Of British Drivers) for this Factsheet which has been adapted to include the Mind Driving Risk Model. (It can be folded for campaign groups to use it as a handy flyer).
It neatly summarises the problems with blanket 20mph limits with repect to road safety, vehicle emissions and wasted economic time
>>>> CURRENTLY BEING EDITED BELOW 22/3/25>>>>> awaiting content
Paul Biggs Article
A Driving Examiners Perspective
The Perspective Of A Driver Visiting Wales On The 20mph Limits
A Petition to Stop the Unreasonable Reduction of the UK Speed Limit to 20mph.
The streets of Wales have recently fallen victim to a policy that seems more focused on financial gain than on public safety under a Labour council. The sudden and widespread reduction of speed limits to 20mph has been implemented without sufficient consideration for the everyday road users and commuters who depend on efficient travel. What was once an acceptable 30mph in residential areas has been slashed to a crawl, and the consequences have been largely negative.
This reduction is not truly in the interest of road safety or the residents’ well-being. Instead, many believe it is a thinly veiled attempt to generate revenue through fines and increased enforcement. Speed cameras and traffic monitoring systems are now more prevalent, leading to hefty fines for those who accidentally exceed the new, overly restrictive limits. Such measures raise the suspicion that this policy is more about money-making than meaningful traffic safety improvements.
The case of Wirral is a glaring example. Residents have only until the 25th to express their concerns about this change, a shockingly short time frame that fails to allow for proper consultation or debate. This rushed process reflects the lack of consideration given to drivers and road users who are most impacted by the change. It also highlights the broader pattern of disregarding public input in favor of policies that unfairly punish drivers.
A closer look at the statistics brings into question the necessity of this drastic change. According to a UK government report from 2018, only 15% of road accidents occurred on roads with a 30mph limit. This calls into question the reasoning behind the move to further reduce speeds. If the majority of accidents are not occurring in these zones, is there a genuine need for such a reduction? Or is it simply a tactic to pad government coffers through the exploitation of road users?
We want to be clear: this is not a plea to allow reckless driving or speeding. We are advocating for a fair and balanced approach to road safety. The 20mph limit has unfairly hindered commutes, created unnecessary frustration, and turned local streets into a trap for fines. The balance between road safety and practicality has been lost, and the resulting policy seems designed more to penalize drivers than to protect them.
By signing this petition, you are helping to voice the concerns of everyday road users. We are calling on the government to review and reconsider the imposition of these 20mph speed limits across the UK. Let’s work towards a sensible, evidence-based approach that values road safety without sacrificing practicality or unduly punishing law-abiding drivers.
Similar to Wales, under a Labour-led government, many speed limits across the country will be subject to review, beginning with the Wirral. Now is the time to unite and push back against excessive speed restrictions in areas that are neither school zones nor accident blackspots. This appears to be yet another government tactic aimed at strict enforcement, disproportionately impacting the working class by lengthening commuting times with reduced speed limits. Please sign this petition today and join the fight against an unfair, exploitative, and unnecessary speed limit reduction.
Together, we can push for a fairer system that respects drivers and ensures that our roads remain safe without being a burden.
WE CAN CONCLUDE THAT AN AUTHORITARIAN WELSH LABOUR PARTY HAVE GOT THIS ISSUE SERIOUSLY WRONG JUST AS THE SNP NICOLA STURGEON GOT ALLOWING BIOLOGICAL MALES INTO WOMENS PRISIONS SERIOUSLY WRONG. SURGEON DID THE DECENT THING AND FELL ON HER SWORD. WELSH LABOUR MUST DO THE SAME
The Bottom Line – Do Not Infantilise Drivers Who You Have Licensed To Drive
Because every situation which drivers face is a unique combination of dynamic circumstances and driving conditions, the job of the driver who has earned the right to drive by passing a test to hold a full driving licence is to process information and drive accordingly. The majority of drivers can be trusted to do so
It is not the job of the State to micro-manage peoples’ driving and usurp control. Rathers drivers must be properly trained and trusted to make the right decisions in all circumstances or else identified by police patrols for appropriate remedial action which could include further training or ultimately disqualification (Reform 3).
By setting speed limits unreasonably low, the personal responsibilty for choosing a safe speed is taken away by the nanny State. Yet the driver is still held responsible when things go wrong and the State, which cannot be aware of the prevailing circumstances simply washes its hands of any responsibility. This is an intolerable situation which cannot be allowed to continue.
The bottom line is that the overwhelming majority of drivers are sensible people who can be trusted to choose a safe speed. Yet crashes still happen. How much safer would they be if the dynamics of the Risk Model had been drilled into them when learning to drive and their thinking skills explicitly tested in a driving test?
Conclusion
Obsessing About Exceeding Speed Limits Is Dangerous
It Detracts Attention From The Thinking Skills That Really Matter
And Does Drivers and Crash Victims an Enormous Disservice
Speed Kills or Better Driving Saves Lives? You Decide!
Other Comments Capture From Social Media Posts