THE LEADING politician behind the new 20mph scheme in Wales said local authorities should take a "common sense approach" to exemptions to the new blanket limit. 

The rollout of the scheme that will see most 30mph roads in Wales changed to 20mph takes place this September. 

At the Senedd on Wednesday, politicians debated a petition which is calling on the Welsh Government to scrap the scheme - which has been described as "undemocratic".

The petition was signed by more than 20,000 people before it was closed, to allow a debate on it to take place before the change comes into effect. 

Alyn & Deeside Member of the Senedd, Jack Sargeant, chair of the Petitions Committee, said the 20mph scheme has become one of the leading issues regarding petitions since he became chair of the committee. A total of 23 Senedd petitions with 20mph in the title have been set up. 

Mr Sargeant said it is clear that there is a "large and vocal" section of the Welsh population that is opposed to the 20mph scheme. 

"It is absolutely vital that we get the exemptions process right, and that local people can identify roads that will remain at 30mph," he said. 

Welsh Conservative MS, Joel James, said the amount of signatures on the petition "highlighted how out of touch the Welsh Government is in understanding the needs of Welsh communities". 

Plaid Cymru's North Wales Senedd Member, Llyr Gruffydd, said he supports the scheme for the impact he said it will have on reducing road traffic collisions and improving road safety. 

However, Mr Gruffydd added: "My challenge to the Deputy Minister (Lee Waters) is what is he and the government doing to ensure local authorities don't just conclude that it's easier to make every road 20mph.

"We know that resource and capacity is challenging for local authorities, and for some to revert to 30mph literally a handful of roads really isn't what I expected when I supported this legislation."

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Among those who spoke to voice their concerns about the scheme were North Wales Senedd Members, Sam Rowlands and Mark Isherwood.

Lee Waters MS, Deputy Minister for Climate Change, has been the driving force behind the change. 

He said that it is "palpably not the case" that the scheme hasn't followed a democratic process. 

"There have been two votes in this Welsh Parliament on the matter," he said. "Both passed with two-thirds majorities on a cross-party basis."

 

Regarding the exemptions process, Mr Waters said: "Common sense needs to be applied. I have written to our local authorities on more than one occasion to urge them to apply common sense when it comes to exemptions."

Mr Waters used the example of a road with fields either side as one such instance where "20mph is clearly unsuitable". He added that some local authorities have been "conservative" about exemptions. 

He read out the amended exemptions criteria: "Highway authorities continue to have the flexbility to set local speed limits that are right for individual roads, reflecting local needs and considerations. 

"Where the decision deviates from this guidance, highway authorities should have a clear and reasoned case."

"This will be a difficult policy, there's no doubt, this is the biggest change in road safety and public health in the history of the Senedd," Mr Waters said. 

"It's a major change in behaviour for people who have spent all their lives driving at 30mph. Just as it took time to get used to seatbelts, not being able to smoke in public places, and paying for carrier bags. 

"We haven't got it 100 per cent right the first time, but I think we'll look back at this in years to come and be very proud of the decision we've made."

Jack Sargeant MS added: "I hope we've pushed the point forward that there is an exemptions process, so if 30mph would be more suitable for a specific road - then there is a way to make that happen."