Wales' 20mph speed limit: Changes promised by minister

Wales' 20mph zones should be targeted at schools, hospitals and nurseries, the new transport secretary has said.

Ken Skates said there was support for the speed limit in areas where children and the elderly were "at risk".

He said that there would be changes to the existing default 20mph speed limit in built-up areas with the "voice of citizens at the heart of all we do".

The Welsh Conservatives said Mr Skates was responding to its "pressure" on a "hugely unpopular" policy.

The aim of the new speed limit, introduced across Wales last September, is to improve road safety and cut casualties although it has proved controversial with almost 500,000 signatories to a petition calling for the policy to be scrapped.

There has also been anger amongst Welsh Labour MPs that the policy could hurt them in the upcoming UK general election.

Speaking in the Senedd on Wednesday, Mr Skates said he had been talking to council officials and councillors and wanted to create "a national listening programme" that everyone could take part in.

The Clwyd South Senedd member was recently put in charge of transport policy in Wales by First Minister Vaughan Gething.

Mr Skates told the Welsh Parliament: "There is a growing consensus in this debate that 20mph is right around schools, hospital and nurseries."

"I really strongly feel across the chamber there is support for 20 mph in those areas where it is appropriate especially where children and the elderly are at risk.

"In such areas, it all makes sense, it all makes people feel safer but we do need to make sure that 20 mph is targeted in those places as we always promised it would be".

"Changes will be done with and for the communities we all serve with the voice of citizens at the heart of all we do".

For the Welsh Conservatives, Natasha Asghar said that the 20 mph was "hugely unpopular" and called on the government to review the policy.

In a statement, issued after the Senedd debate, she said: "It is clear that Welsh Conservative pressure is moving the dial among Labour government ministers, whose rhetoric on 20mph has changed dramatically.

"The people of Wales want to get on with their daily lives and businesses wish to flourish, yet Labour's lack of investment in public transport, road building ban, and 20mph speed limits are slowing them down in doing exactly this".

The 20mph default speed limit applies to 37% of the road network in Wales - although councils can apply for exemptions on stretches.

The policy was led by former deputy climate change minister Lee Waters, who left the Welsh government with the departure of former first minister Mark Drakeford.

Mr Skates said he would would give more details on his plans when he makes a statement to the Senedd next week.

Analysis by Daniel Davies, BBC Wales political correspondent

When Transport Secretary Ken Skates says the speed limit needs to be "truly targeted" - especially where children and the elderly are at risk - it sounds like a significant change in direction.

The 20mph speed limit has been applied much more extensively than just around the schools, hospitals and nurseries he talked about in the Senedd.

But another minister took to the airwaves to say there is "not a radical change at all".

The 20mph law is staying. Instead the guidance for councils will be reviewed.

The government says this will mean the speed limit reverts to 30mph on "some roads".

We'll have to wait to see what "some" means.

Either way, Mr Skates's promise of a "national listening programme" is at least an acknowledgement that Labour is trying to respond to the furore this controversial policy has caused.