Wrexham and Flintshire residents have endured six months of "hell" and frustration since the introduction of the national 20mph scheme, it has been said.

Driving instructor Stuart Walker, 61, won a top award last year for road safety - a subject he is passionate about.

Looking back on the last six months under the 20mph scheme, he said: "Driver behaviour has changed for the worse, because drivers are angry and frustrated.

"They start taking risks when normally they wouldn't.

"In my 38-year career as a driving instructor, where I have spent millions of miles on the road, I have never seen the roads so dangerous as they are now in Wales.

"A blanket speed limit will never work - it's obvious that 20mph will be too fast for some roads and too slow for others. That's where it has gone wrong."

Mr Walker, from Wrexham, said he has concerns for new drivers who learn and pass their test in Wales and then go elsewhere and have "a lack of experience at 30mph" which he said could be dangerous.

Reflecting on the time since the new limit was imposed, he added: "It has been six months of hell.

"The blanket speed limit has not made the road safer; instead it has created a more dangerous driving environment for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

"In my opinion it has been poorly organised and has created gridlock.

"It is not fit for purpose."

When the new limit was introduced across Wales, the Leader spoke with Councillors in Buckley - where a pilot scheme had already been carried out.

Reflecting on the last six months, Cllr Carol Ellis said: "This is still a major conversation in Buckley and I don't think people have gotten used to it.

"There's still a mix of people who keep to it and people who don't bother.

"And then there are people who do 12 and 15 miles per hour in the 20 zone, then because they're so paranoid about going over the limit and confused, they will carry on doing it when they go into a 30 zone.

"People get so frustrated and take chances to overtake.

"I have still yet to meet anyone who says to me they support this scheme and think it's positive.

"Obviously outside schools, on estate roads and in town centres, people are all for it.

"And the other thing is that people are very frustrated that funding has been used to implement this - with signage and everything else - when it would have been spent in a better way on potholes or health services.

"That's what the public is saying to me and I agree."

Buckley Councillor Mike Peers said: "I think the situation remains the same from when we had the pilot.

"There's a lot of objection to the 20mph on key arterial routes.

"Those are commuter routes and I have seen people on Facebook saying they will not come through Buckley again because of the 20mph.

"Everyone's ok with 20 outside schools, health centres, estate roads and where children play.

"It's common sense."

Cllr Peers reiterated his previous concern that the 20mph limit causes "convoys" of vehicles which prevent motorists from pulling out of side roads.

He added the changes in speed limits had "decimated" some bus services, adding: "There's a lot to answer for."

A Welsh Government spokesman said: “The introduction of a 20mph speed limit in mainly residential areas is designed to save lives and make our communities safer for everyone, including motorists. 

"It has been thoroughly researched, voted on in the Senedd and received the backing from a majority of Senedd Members."