THE MINISTER responsible for the 20mph speed limits in Wales says he has had to have 'security cameras' installed at his home. 

As of September 17, the majority of residential roads throughout the country changed from 30mph to 20mph.

The change has been met by anger and frustration with a petition opposing it collecting over 460,000 signatures to date - making it the most signed petition in Senedd history.

The Welsh Government's deputy minister for climate change and the man responsible for the change, Lee Waters, faced a no confidence vote last month, as a result.

However, that Welsh Conservative motion eventually failed with 16 votes in favour and 42 against.

On that same day, Mr Waters issued an update on the speed limit change and addressed the petition which continues to gather signatures.

Since then, he has revealed that he has had to take steps to keep himself safe as a result of the backlash faced over the change.

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In his speech to the UK National Transport Awards, Westminster Park Plaza, on October 5, Mr Waters said: "Because change is difficult. Don’t I know it. Nearly half a million people – an unprecedented number – have signed a petition in the last two weeks calling for us to abandon our change to the speed limit in built up areas.

"I’ve had to have security cameras installed in home, a police patrol calling by, I’ve been asked to stay away from events in my constituency that I’d been invited to. And a motion a confidence in the Welsh Parliament. So I know that change isn’t easy."

He added: "We are making roads safer and more welcoming for people to walk and cycle, and for children to play out, by setting speed limits on streets in built up areas to 20mph as a default – but giving Councils the ability to exempt roads that are best left at 30mph.

"It is the biggest change in the rules of the road since wearing seat belts became compulsory in 1983. And just as with that change, there is push-back, but there’s no going back.

"Our initial data shows that average speeds are already down and, as a result, we can expect to see fewer accidents, fewer casualties, fewer deaths, fewer tragedies. A little bit slower, yes, but a whole lot better."