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Petition Number: P-06-1389 Petition title: Introduce a 30mph limit on the trunk road through the villages of Eglwys Fach and Ffwrnais Text of petition: Many residential areas in Wales now benefit from a 20mph speed limit, with a strong evidence based rationale from Welsh Government. We do not feel it is safe that our villages of Eglwys Fach & Ffwrnais still suffer a 40mph limit. For over 30 years we have been campaigning for safer pedestrian access in these villages, with 2 fatalities during that time. We want Welsh Government to review the 40mph limits through the villages to enable residents to walk safely and improve well being. The villages sit along the main A487. The majority of the road has no pavement so our residents, including children and young people catching school buses, residents visiting neighbours or attending events, older villagers catching the bus, all have to walk ON the main A487. In some places there is insufficient room for 2 cars to pass on the road so motorists have to slow down to a halt to avoid these walkers. The rationale of the Welsh Government for the 20mph limits through residential areas is: "The evidence from around the world is very clear – decreasing speeds will reduce collisions, save lives and reduce injuries – helping to improve quality of life and make our streets and local communities safer for all." Given the evidence we feel strongly that the speed limit through the villages of Eglwys Fach & Ffwrnais should be reviewed and reduced from 40mph. |
Eglwys Fach and Ffwrnais are villages in Ceredigion on the A487. The A487 is part of the trunk road network of strategic routes.
The Welsh Government is the Highway Authority for the A487. The road’s day to day management is delegated to the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent.
As the petition suggests, residents of the villages have been calling for road safety improvements for many years. In November 2023, residents held a march calling for a speed limit reduction and the construction of footways alongside the road. A similar march was held in 2014 – at that time including residents from the neighbouring village of Glandyfi. Calls for action have continued in the intervening period.
£10m was spent on improvements to widen the A487 at Glandyfi, with work completed in 2013.
The petition references the Welsh Government policy on reducing the default speed limit on restricted roads - those with streetlights no more than 200 yards apart – from 30mph to 20mph. The stretch of the A487 at Egwlys Fach and Ffwrnais is not a restricted road and so was not affected by this policy.
The Welsh Government issued guidance on setting local speed limits in Wales (SLSLiW) in 2009. This applies to all roads in Wales except motorways. The guidance is currently being reviewed to reflect the 20mph speed limit policy, with the process for setting exceptions to the 20mph limit currently addressed through guidance published as an addendum to the 2009 document.
In discussing considerations in setting speed limits, SLSLiW says, “A study of road traffic collisions and casualties should indicate whether an existing speed limit is appropriate for the type of road and mix of use by different road users”. It also says:
The underlying aim should be to achieve a ‘safe’ distribution of speeds which reflects the function of the road and the impacts on the local community. The needs of vulnerable road users and communities must be fully taken into account.
The Welsh Government is currently consulting on a new road safety strategy for Wales.
The letter from the Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters MS, highlights that the process for changing the speed limit on this road is set out in SLSLiW. He says:
Publication of the new SLSLiW guidance is being coordinated to ensure alignment with the new Road Safety Strategy. The new guidance may see a change in the criteria for lower speed limits in Wales. The Welsh Government will review the speed limits across its Trunk Road Network following publication of the guidance including this section of the A487.
While the issue of speed limits has been discussed extensively, it does not appear that the speed limit at Eglwys Fach and Ffwrnais on the A470 has been raised.
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