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The first minister of Wales insists “fewer lives will be lost” on Welsh roads – as the new national speed limit of 20mph is introduced across the country.

Nearly all roads in built-up or residential areas in Wales have now become, by default, 20mph instead of 30mph.

The plan is hugely controversial – with the leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt describing it this week as “absolutely insane, even by the standards of the Labour Welsh government.”

Read more: Why is the default speed limit changing to 20mph in Wales and could it be introduced elsewhere?

But Mark Drakeford told Sky News the new law is about safety, not politics.

“It’s not a political item in any sense, it is grounded in the evidence,” he said.

“The key positive is reduced speed means fewer accidents, and fewer lives being lost. The evidence I think is incontrovertible, that lower speed limits reduce accidents, reduce damage done to people.

“I have no doubt that the Tories will try to weaponise this sort of thing, it’s just in their nature. I am very confident people in Wales will see through that.”

First Minister Mark Drakeford
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First Minister Mark Drakeford says the new law is about safety

The Welsh government hopes the new law, which has cost £32m to introduce, will see 40% fewer collisions, save six to 10 lives a year and up to 2,000 avoiding injury.

Mr Drakeford said the results from Spain demonstrate the benefits.

“In 2019, Spain introduced a law very similar to what we have in Wales,” he said.

“They’ve had a 20% reduction in urban deaths that have followed, 34% reduction in cyclist fatalities.”

Read more:
Welsh motorists urged to stop relying on sat navs – here’s why
Drivers left confused by contradictory speed limit signs

The rollout comes after two years of trials in eight areas of Wales, including in the Heath, north Cardiff.

Parents attending a baby group at the local community centre have mixed feelings over whether it has worked.

“I think there’s no doubt that people are safer if cars are driving slower and injuries are less severe is an accident, so I think it’s a positive thing,” one mother told Sky News.

Road rage risk

Richie, one of the fathers at the group, doesn’t feel the new limit has worked.

“I think there’s been a huge amount of road rage with it,” he said. “I was overtaken yesterday doing 20mph, a guy was doing 40mph, I don’t agree with it at all – it’s a horrendous idea.”

Richie and his daughter
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Richie and his daughter

Melanie, another mother, doesn’t think a blanket roll-out is the right approach.

She said: “I don’t know if people really abide to it. I often see people flouting 20mph, particularly around the park. I think it makes sense, particularly around schools and parks…the whole of Cardiff? I don’t think so.”

Melanie
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Melanie said she often saw drivers flouting the 20mph limit

There are numerous campaign groups against it, mainly focusing on the impact in their local area.

Stephen Clark is a member of the group “20mph Limit – Democracy for Wales” in Heath. He admits 20mph is safer, but only in the places that it is required.

“It is not necessary in the main arteries that run through the city where people travel daily, to and from work. I just feel it’s very unfair on the general public,” he says.

“I believe it leads to more erratic driving. It’s very difficult to adjust to this new 20mph speed limit because you’re constantly having to monitor your speed.”

An online petition against the scheme has secured more than 70,000 signatures. There are economic concerns too.

The Welsh government’s own report has found that over a 30-year period the economic impact of the slower speed limit could be in the region of £4.5bn. It is keen to focus on the £92m annual saving to the NHS.

Welsh Conservative shadow transport minister Natasha Asghar MS urged the Labour government to scrap the “vanity project”, saying the 20mph policy will “slow emergency services down, cost the economy up to £9bn, and impact people’s livelihoods”.

The new speed limit will be enforced by police as normal, but the first minister told Sky News there will be an educational approach to the public in the first instance.

“We are very committed, alongside the police colleagues, to an approach that is about education, informing, giving people time to ensure they understand the law has changed, nobody is going to be rushing in with a heavy hand,” Mr Drakeford said.

“There will come a point where people who are persistently refusing to do the things that everybody else is doing, then they won’t be able to do that with impunity.”

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Two men arrested and a number taken to hospital after multiple people stabbed on train

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Two men arrested and a number taken to hospital after multiple people stabbed on train

Two men have been arrested by armed officers after multiple people were stabbed on a train.

The train was stopped at Huntingdon station, in Cambridgeshire, after police were called at around 7.40pm on Saturday.

Cambridgeshire Police said a number of people have been taken to hospital, while a “large-scale response” was deployed by the East of England Ambulance Service.

Video shared online which appears to have been filmed from a railway bridge shows a huge police response with armed officers running along the platform towards the train carriages.

Gavin saw injured passengers
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Gavin saw injured passengers

Witnesses told Sky News the stabbings started around 10 minutes after the 6.25 train from Doncaster to London King’s Cross left Peterborough and passengers sounded the emergency alarm.

One man who was on the train told Sky News he saw someone coming though his carriage saying: “They’ve got a knife, I’ve been stabbed.”

“They were making their way through the carriage to get away from the suspects. They were extremely bloodied,” said the man who gave his name as Gavin.

More on Cambridgeshire

He said by the time the train pulled up “they were basically on the floor”.

“That person ended up collapsing on the floor. They were taken to an ambulance pretty much straight away,” he said.

Gavin said passengers were ushered out into the station and “there were multiple people who had been stabbed making their way down”.

But he said one of the suspects had also come off the train and was “running rampant as well”, and was “waving a large knife” before he was taken down by armed officers with a taser.

Pic: Police at Huntingdon train station
Image:
Pic: Police at Huntingdon train station

London North Eastern Railway, which operates East Coast Mainline services in the UK, said all lines are blocked around Huntingdon station, with major disruption expected until the end of the day.

Police said the A1307 has been closed on the approach to the town centre and the incident remains ongoing.

Cambridgeshire Police said in a statement: “We were called at 7.39pm with reports that multiple people had been stabbed on a train.

“Armed officers attended and the train was stopped at Huntingdon, where two men were arrested.

“A number of people have been taken to hospital.

“The incident remains ongoing and the A1307 has been closed as you approach the town centre.”

Huntingdon MP Ben Obese-Jecty said in a post on X he was “aware of the incident” and “trying to establish further information”.

“My thoughts are with the victims and those involved,” he wrote.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the “appalling incident” was “deeply concerning”.

“My thoughts are with all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services for their response,” he wrote on X.

“Anyone in the area should follow the advice of the police.”

The Home Secretary said she was “deeply saddened” by the incident in Huntingdon and urged the public to “avoid comment and speculation at this early stage”.

In a statement on X, Shabana Mahmood said: “Two suspects have been immediately arrested and taken into custody.

“I am receiving regular updates on the investigation.”

Speaking to Sky News at the scene, Huntingdon MP Ben Obese-Jecty said: “When I first arrived here, I’ve simply never seen as big a response to an emergency incident as there were in terms of police, fire and ambulance.”

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said on X: “Horrific scenes in Huntingdon, in what seems to be a brutal mass attack by two perpetrators.

“My thoughts are with all those injured or affected and the emergency services responding The police and government should provide an update on what happened and who has been arrested as soon as possible

Tory party chairman Kevin Hollinrake also described the scenes as “horrifying”.

“My thoughts are with the victims and the emergency services responding to this incident,” he wrote on X.

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Car spotted leaving Royal Lodge as Andrew faces growing pressure over Epstein links

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Car spotted leaving Royal Lodge as Andrew faces growing pressure over Epstein links

A Land Rover was spotted leaving Royal Lodge – the home of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor – on Saturday morning, as more US politicians call for him to testify before a congressional committee.

Emails released on Friday in unsealed court documents shed new light on Andrew’s correspondence with Epstein.

Months after the paedophile financier was released from prison in 2009 for prostituting minors, Andrew wrote that it would be “good to catch up in person”.

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Will Andrew have to give evidence on Epstein?

The pair were pictured together in New York’s Central Park in December 2010, in a meeting Andrew later claimed was to end their friendship.

In Congress, the House Oversight Committee is investigating the Epstein affair, and several of its members have invited Andrew to come and give evidence, presenting it as an opportunity to clear his name.

Meanwhile, Virginia Giuffre’s family have called for Andrew to be “investigated” over her claims that – as a teenager – she had sex with Andrew on three occasions after being trafficked by Epstein and Maxwell.

Andrew has always denied the claims. Ms Giuffre sued in 2021 and the case was settled outside of court for a sum believed to have been around £12m.

In an interview with Gareth Barlow on Sky News, Ms Giuffre’s brother Sky Roberts praised the King for stripping his brother of his remaining titles and ousting him from Royal Lodge.

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Virginia Guiffre’s family sends message to King

Andrew set for six-figure sum

Andrew could be in line for a six-figure payout and an annual payment as part of his “relocation settlement” after being forced out of the Royal Lodge, the Guardian reported.

One option includes an initial six-figure sum followed by an annual payment, which would be paid from the King’s private funds, and is thought to be several times his £20k-a-year navy pension, sources told the newspaper.

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He will move from Windsor to private accommodation in Sandringham, Norfolk. But on Saturday, people in Sandringham had mixed views about the move.

One man told Sky News he would be unwelcome: “This is a lovely, peaceful area. His reputation now is tarnished, and, I don’t think it’s right.

“This is where the royals come for Christmas… and come throughout the year. And, I don’t think people local really want to see him here.”

But another man was more sympathetic: “He hasn’t been found guilty of anything in my view. So and people forget that he was a war hero in the Falklands. That’s all gone now, isn’t it? Nobody’s thinking that he’s done any good.”

Public supports Charles, poll shows

A poll has revealed the public supports the King’s decision to strip Andrew of his titles and remove him from the Royal Lodge.

Of the 4,739 people surveyed by YouGov, 79% said it was “the right decision” to “strip Andrew Mountbatten Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew) of his prince title”.

But when asked about the speed of King’s response to the Andrew-Epstein revelations, 58% of respondents said the monarch moved “too slowly”.

Police provide update

The Metropolitan Police has given Sky News an update on allegations that Andrew asked a royal close protection officer to “dig up dirt” on Virginia Giuffre in 2011.

When reports first emerged two weeks ago, the force said it was “actively looking into the claims”.

On Saturday, the Met said: “Following recent media reporting on the actions of officers in relation to this matter, we are considering whether any further assessment or review is necessary.”

Meanwhile, the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), issued a statement regarding allegations that Andrew’s royal close protection officers had obstructed lawyers serving a lawsuit from Virginia Giuffre in 2021.

The IOPC said: “We have not received any referrals in relation to this matter at this time.”

Read more from Sky News:
Why Andrew is still in line to the throne
The Sandringham homes he could move to

Graham Smith, from the anti-monarchy group Republic, told Sky News: “The problem that the royals have is that there’s going to be more information coming out, more scandals, more accusations and more emails.

“The idea that essentially… he’s [Andrew] told to live in a very large house, given a half million pound stipend, and told to use his own name, is any kind of punishment, is absurd in most people’s eyes.”

In the next few days, the King is expected to submit the royal warrant, affecting the dukedom, and letters patent, which will formally remove Andrew’s entitlement to use the title prince and HRH style.

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Should Prince Andrew Drive be renamed? Here’s what residents think

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Should Prince Andrew Drive be renamed? Here's what residents think

“I hate it,” Shirley told us.

Every time she has to give her address, it leads to a snide remark or joke at her expense.

She’s lived on Prince Andrew Drive in Telford, Shropshire, for 35 years.

As the national scandal around Andrew Mountbatten Windsor – as he is now called – has deepened, it has become increasingly embarrassing for her.

Andrew latest: Virginia Giuffre’s brother calls for investigation

A few years ago, another resident started a petition to change the name of the road, and somebody covered up part of the street sign.

“I think we should change it,” Shirley told us, “but don’t ask me what to.”

More on Prince Andrew

Shirley is one of the residents calling for the street to be renamed
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Shirley is one of the residents calling for the street to be renamed

After a few minutes weighing up the options, she settled on Prince George Drive.

“At least that looks to the future,” she added.

Linda Boden has lived on the road even longer – she and husband Phil moved here after getting married 45 years ago.

“We have actually had the conversation this morning, that the name of this road will get changed,” Linda said.

Phil told us he wasn’t bothered about the name. “It’s just a name, it’s not the man… I can’t tell you what I think [about him] without swearing you know.”

A bird's eye view of Prince Andrew Drive
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A bird’s eye view of Prince Andrew Drive

Cheryl, who lives nearby, told us what really mattered to her were the victims of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal – particularly the late Virginia Giuffre.

“That poor girl needs justice,” she said. “It is ridiculous it has gone on this long to be perfectly honest. That poor family are still living with it.”

Read More:
Andrew loses his titles – everything we know
The Sandringham homes he could move into

Cheryl's focus is on Virginia Giuffre
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Cheryl’s focus is on Virginia Giuffre

Julie Harper lives on the adjacent road, called Queen Elizabeth Way, and is more than happy with her road name.

She told Sky News that the King had made the “best decision ever” by removing his brother’s titles.

I asked where her sympathies lay within this long-running royal scandal and Julie was unequivocal.

“With anybody who has been sexually exploited,” she said bluntly.

Julie believes Princess Anne Drive would be a better name for her neighbours’ road.

“She’s one of the better ones,” she added.

Julie lives on the nearby Queen Elizabeth Way and suggests a renaming that would stick to the royal theme
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Julie lives on the nearby Queen Elizabeth Way and suggests a renaming that would stick to the royal theme

Changing the road name would be a logistical headache for local authorities and residents, with some telling us it did not bother them and they would not fancy the extra paperwork to amend things such as household bills and driving licences.

But Postman Gary told us every time he’s making deliveries on Prince Andrew Drive, he feels for the residents.

“We have a little giggle because we know they don’t want it named that anymore and I wouldn’t either if I lived here. It’s probably time it changed.”

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‘Huge’ part of royal statement you might have missed

We did not find anyone on Prince Andrew Drive who disagreed with the King’s decision to remove his titles and oust him from his home in Windsor.

The monarchy needs to retain the support of the public across the UK – that’s one of the reasons the King has taken such decisive action at this point in the scandal.

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