People working on Hadfield Road in Cardiff said it makes no sense to go 20mph. (Image: Ted Peskett)
Angry motorists have called the 32 km/h limit “absurd” on an industrial road as “ridiculous” and merchants even claim that it causes them to lose business. Hadfield Road in Cardiff, Wales, serves a mainly industrial area.
But he got caught up in the radical changes taking place around the world. Welsh Speed limits on many roads were reduced to 20 mph last year to reduce accidents and promote safety. The change has sparked controversy, particularly on roads like Hadfield Road that are not in built-up residential areas.
Cardiff City Council, following the lead of other Welsh local authorities, will review these 20mph zones after the Welsh Government unveiled a three-stage strategy to potentially revert some roads to 30mph.
Businesses along Hadfield Road have expressed frustration, calling the imposition of 20mph “ridiculous”. Kevin Gullet, who operates a food van called Fryer Tuck located on Glynstell Close, says his business has been affected since the speed reduction.
He maintains that slower speeds cause delays for workers trying to grab a quick bite during their breaks, ultimately costing him customers. Kevin explained: “The problem we have here [is] the kids go out for lunch or a break… and what happens is we lose business because when they get here they can't eat.” For the latest updates from Cardiff, be sure to sign up to our newsletter, reports wales online.
Kevin Gullet of Fryer Tuck said 20 mph on Hadfield Road has affected his business. (Image: Ted Peskett)
The Welsh Government's announcement of the 20mph speed limit in April will not see a complete reversal of the policy, but rather a more targeted approach to reviewing certain roads for which local authorities will be responsible.
Local authorities will have updated guidelines to follow when reviewing any proposed changes to speed limits. Cardiff Council said it will carry out its review of 20mph roads across the city in autumn this year.
Council leader Huw Thomas said on political program S4C Y Byd yn ei Le that six streets could change in the city. At another food van in Bessemer Close, called Britain's Finest Burgers, Julie Christopher said she thinks it's “a bit boring” that Hadfield Road became a 20mph road.
Julie, who runs the food van which has operated at the same location for 24 years, said the speed limit should not have been reduced “considering there are no schools around here”.
“It's almost causing accidents”
Commenting on what she thinks the road is like during the day now, Julie added: “It's like everyone is avoiding it. It would be a little better.” [if it changed back]. It's not so bad for me because I come early in the morning. You can't drive fast because there is a lot of traffic. [then]”.
Jimmy Clark, a local Hadfield Road worker, expressed his frustration while waiting for his food: “It's ridiculous. School roads or certain side streets [should be 20] But not all of them. Anything else, leave it. “It's crazy.”
The controversial 32km/h speed limit was introduced across Wales in September 2023, causing confusion and concern among drivers. Councils in Wales have been tasked with identifying which roads should be exempt from the new 32km/h rule. In Cardiff, these exemptions largely applied to major routes such as Western Avenue, the A470 and sections of Newport Road.
However, two Merthyr Tydfil workers, Paul Hughes and Bryn Phillips, were left baffled by the inconsistent speed limits they encountered on their journey to Hadfield Road.
Bryn Phillips said 20 mph is appropriate for certain roads, such as those near schools, but not for roads like Hadfield Road. (Image: Ted Peskett)
Paul Hughes added: “We were worried on the way down at this 20 mph because we don't know if it's 20, 30, they're all different signs. We're braking, it's almost causing accidents… The emissions are high. because we're going through the gears and everything and it's confusing.
Bryn Phillips added: “Schools or hospitals, private property and nearby parks… yes, it should be 20 mph, but it's not [here]. It's just causing chaos. I think it's terrible. It is not justified either.
“There's no need for that. Wherever pedestrians go, like private estates, housing estates or detours from the main route, that's fair enough, or schools… but I think the routes they travel on should be at least 30.”
Cardiff's busy roads, including Caerphilly Road and Excalibur Drive, are not exempt from the new 20mph speed limit. Councilor Emma Reid-Jones, member of the Lisvane and Thornhill ward, where part of Excalibur Drive is located, criticized the move.
She argued that the highway was originally designed as an arterial route and there are no schools nearby.
Discussing the implementation of the city-wide 20mph limit, he claimed the Welsh Government has “wasted tens of millions of pounds of taxpayers' money”. She suggested: “Money would have been better spent enforcing 30mph limits on our streets and trusting that councils would work with communities, who know their roads best, to review speed limits on a road-by-road basis.”
A petition against the default 20mph speed limit law, signed by a staggering 469,571 people, was the largest ever discussed in the Senedd. The cost of implementing the 20mph speed limit across Wales has reached approximately £33m.
However, a Welsh Government spokesperson defended the decision, saying: “We are committed to working with our partners in local government in the coming weeks and months and will provide them with the support and resources they need to make changes where necessary.” do it.”
A Cardiff City Council spokesperson has expressed strong support for the 32km/h speed limit initiative, saying: “Cardiff City Council strongly supports reducing vehicle speeds in our local communities to make it easier for people to walk and bike and make our city a better and safer place for people to live.”
They added that the council is awaiting new guidance from the Welsh Government, due in July: “The council understands that the Welsh Government is expected to publish revised guidance on the 20mph policy in July.
“Meanwhile, the council has been and will continue to monitor vehicle speeds in areas where the 20mph policy was implemented in September 2023, which will help show any changes to vehicle speeds on different roads across the city. since the new legislation was introduced.
He continued: “Public feedback on the reduction of speed limits on specific roads and streets through the 20mph policy is also recorded and reviewed. All of this information and data will be used as a basis for the 20mph review in Cardiff to be carried out in the autumn of this year with reference to the Welsh Government's revised guidance document.”
“While we recognize that there may be general comments on the default 20mph limit policy, we will not be able to record these comments as they are a matter for the Welsh Government. “Any further changes to the speed limits will require a traffic regulation order. which is subject to a public consultation process.”