Flintshire spent £1,796,000 on council spending on 20mph zones over the last three years, putting it eighth among Britain’s biggest spenders on the policy. That figure matters because drivers in Wales are already seeing some of those changes reversed, with six roads in Flintshire switched back to their old limits.
Matt Crole-Rees, a motoring expert at Confused.com, said: "Drivers in Wales have mixed views on where the 20mph limits should apply". He added: "More than half (57%) say 20mph makes sense near schools and homes, but not on main roads."
Flintshire and Wrexham spending
Flintshire was the eighth highest spending authority in Britain on 20mph zones. In Wales only Swansea spent more than Flintshire, while Wrexham spent £1,002,040 on changing roads to 20mph over the same period.
Across the UK, councils have spent more than £41.9 million introducing 20mph limits over the past three years. Those figures cover the cost of changing roads to 20mph, not the cost of reversing those changes.
Wales road reversals
At least 174 roads have already been switched back to higher limits, and the majority are in Wales. Flintshire has reverted six roads since the Welsh Government allowed authorities to reverse the policy last year, while Wrexham has reversed the 20mph limit on 52 roads.
Crole-Rees said: "Just under half (43%) think it’s gone too far." He also said: "The priority now should be getting limits settled and clearly signed, so drivers know the correct limits for where they’re driving."
Driver penalties and costs
He said speed remains a factor in collisions, adding: "Speed is one of the biggest factors in collisions". He said: "The faster a vehicle is travelling, the less time a driver has to react and the more serious the consequences can be, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists near homes and schools."
Crole-Rees also said the minimum penalty for speeding is a £100 fine and three points on a license, though it can be higher depending on income and how far over the limit a driver was travelling. He added: "It’s also worth remembering the costs can continue long after the fine is paid, as a speeding offence can push up your insurance premiums too."
The remaining issue is how much public money will be needed to undo the road changes already being reversed, because the published spending figure only covers the original move to 20mph.
