Wales has Britain’s highest percentage of urban roads with a 20mph limit, shows new research which highlights significant differences between British regions and local authorities.
The analysis, conducted by temporary car insurance experts Tempcover, examined data provided by Insight Warehouse, which comes from their comprehensive national maps of speed limits.
The Welsh Government imposed a 20mph default speed limit on urban road in Wales in September 2023 but the programme sparked a massive opposition petition and some limits will now be raised to 30mph again.
Percentage of Urban Roads With 20mph Limits by Region
Across Britain, the percentage of urban roads with 20mph speed limits varies widely by region and local authority. Some areas like the City of London (100%) and Denbighshire in Wales (98.65%) have high adoption rates, whilst some local authorities such as West Devon in the South West and Redditch in the West Midlands have 0%, meaning drivers can experience vastly different speed limits across regions.
While there are ongoing debates regarding the implementation of 20mph speed limits, the push for lower speed limits is largely driven by road safety concerns[3]. Early data from Wales, which introduced a default 20mph limit on urban roads in 2023, suggests that these limits are helping to reduce serious casualties[2].
Claire Wills-Mckissick, a temporary car insurance expert at Tempcover, added, “With an increasing number of roads being adapted to 20mph speed limits, drivers must remain alert and check for local speed limits to avoid fines or accidents. Whether you’re in an unfamiliar area or passing through a newly changed zone, take a moment to familiarise yourself with the surroundings, look for speed limit signs, and adjust your driving accordingly.
