Why is the default speed limit changing to 20mph in Wales and could it be introduced elsewhere?
From today a default 20mph speed limit has been introduced in Wales.
Most roads which were previously 30mph will now have a reduced speed limit.
The Welsh government included the new default limit in the party’s manifesto ahead of the 2021 Senedd election.
In it, the party, led by Mark Drakeford, pledged to make 20mph the norm in residential areas.
The legislation was approved by the Senedd in July last year, meaning Wales is the first UK nation to introduce a default limit.
Why are they doing it?
The government says the change will save lives and help build “safer communities” by reducing the number of collisions.
It says default 20mph limits will make streets quieter by reducing noise pollution.
First Minister Mark Drakeford has also said people will have more confidence to cycle and walk around their local communities with vehicles travelling at slower speeds.
Has it been done elsewhere?
Spain changed its default speed limit on roads with a single lane in each direction to 30km/h (18.6mph) in 2021.
The country’s directorate-general for traffic said the risk of death in a road traffic collision was reduced on a road with a lower speed limit.
It said the risk was 80 percentage points lower if the speed of the impacting vehicle was 30km/h, compared with 50km/h.
Scotland hopes to lower the speed limit of most residential roads to 20mph by 2025
Could it be introduced in other parts of the UK?
In Scotland, the government hopes to lower the speed limit of most residential roads to 20mph by 2025.
The SNP and the Greens outlined the proposal as part of the shared policy programme they published in 2021.
While there is no nationwide rollout in England, several areas, including Bristol and Manchester, have either already introduced a default limit of 20mph or have outlined plans to do so.
All roads within London’s congestion charge zone also have a 20mph speed limit.
How will it be enforced?
Just as with any other speed limit, police officers will enforce them.
Members of the fire service will give people the opportunity to view an educational video about the new limit, instead of facing prosecution.
Pic: Welsh government
What if the sat nav says something different?
The RAC says people should pay “full attention to all road signage” and shouldn’t rely on their sat navs to know what the speed limit is on roads in Wales until systems have updated.
Its head of policy, Simon Williams, also said RAC research suggested compliance with 20mph speed limits is quite poor and added it would be “more effective to target areas where they are most needed”.
Read more:
Drivers in North Wales left confused over conflicting speed signs
Police chief admits ‘impact’ of speed change on emergency services
Does everyone support it?
While many support the policy, it has also faced significant criticism, particularly from the largest opposition party in the Senedd, the Welsh Conservatives.
Group leader Andrew RT Davies has previously called it an “economy-stifling vanity project”.
Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth accused the Conservatives of “playing politics” but admitted even people who were supportive of Labour’s policy in principle had “real concerns”.
He told the first minister in the Senedd chamber the policy should be reviewed after seeing how it works in practice.
UK
MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace steps down as Kirsty Wark among 13 who claim he made inappropriate sexual jokes
MasterChef host Gregg Wallace has stepped down over allegations he made a series of inappropriate sexual comments on a range of programmes over 17 years.
Broadcaster Kirsty Wark is among 13 people who have made claims, with Wallace being investigated by MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK.
In an interview with the BBC, the Newsnight presenter, who was a celebrity contestant on MasterChef in 2011, claimed Wallace used “sexualised language”.
“There were two occasions in particular where he used sexualised language in front of a number of people and it wasn’t as if it was anyone engaged with this,” Wark said.
“It was completely one-way traffic. I think people were uncomfortable and something that I really didn’t expect to happen.”
Sky News has contacted Wallace’s representative for comment.
Kirsty Wark. File pic: PA
‘Fully cooperating’
Banijay UK said the complaints were made to the BBC this week by “individuals in relation to historical allegations of misconduct while working with Gregg Wallace on one of our shows”.
The company said the 60-year-old, who has been a co-presenter and judge of the popular cooking show since 2005, was “committed to fully cooperating throughout the process”.
“Whilst these complainants have not raised the allegations directly with our show producers or parent company Banijay UK, we feel that it is appropriate to conduct an immediate, external review to fully and impartially investigate,” the company said.
“While this review is under way, Gregg Wallace will be stepping away from his role on MasterChef and is committed to fully co-operating throughout the process.
“Banijay UK’s duty of care to staff is always a priority and our expectations regarding behaviour are made clear to both cast and crew on all productions, with multiple ways of raising concerns, including anonymously, clearly promoted on set.
“Whilst these are historical allegations, incidences brought to our attention where these expectations are not met, are thoroughly investigated and addressed appropriately.”
A BBC spokesman said: “We take any issues that are raised with us seriously and we have robust processes in place to deal with them.
“We are always clear that any behaviour which falls below the standards expected by the BBC will not be tolerated.
“Where an individual is contracted directly by an external production company we share any complaints or concerns with that company and we will always support them when addressing them.”
Previous investigation
Last month, Wallace responded to reports that a previous BBC review had found he could continue working at the corporation following reports of an alleged incident in 2018 when he appeared on Impossible Celebrities.
Wallace said those claims had been investigated “promptly” at the time and said he had not said “anything sexual” while appearing on the game show more than half a decade ago.
In an Instagram post following an article in The Sun newspaper, he wrote: “The story that’s hitting the newspapers was investigated promptly when it happened six years ago by the BBC.
“And the outcome of that was that I hadn’t said anything sexual. I’ll need to repeat this again. I didn’t say anything sexual.”
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Alongside MasterChef, Wallace presented Inside The Factory for BBC Two from 2015.
Wallace and Anne-Marie Sterpini in 2014. Pic: PA
Wallace has featured on various BBC shows over the years, including Saturday Kitchen, Eat Well For Less, Supermarket Secrets, Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals, as well as being a Strictly Come Dancing contestant in 2014.
He was made an MBE for services to food and charity last year.
Recorded episodes of MasterChef: The Professionals featuring Wallace will be transmitted as planned, the PA news agency understands.
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