It’s exactly six months since the Welsh government and Denbighshire county council introduced their blanket 20 mph default urban speed limit. How’s it doing? 
While walking along East Drive and Marine Parade I was surprised to see Y Rhyl’s motorists universally sticking to 20 mph. This on a long stretch of open road with development principally on the landward side. How come motorists were so compliant in Y Rhyl when in Rhuthun/Ruthin they aren’t?
We’re not aware of any enforcement in Rhuthun. That might explain the speed of vehicles. Six months after the introduction of 20 mph and we are convinced the number of motorists complying is few. And it appears to be getting worse. But we would also say that speeds are generally lower than before the September 17th change.
Motorists in justifying whether or not they agree with 20 mph seem to state that they understand the need for 20 outside schools and on residential roads. We looked at the residential road Lôn Menlli/Erw Goch, which links St Meugan’s with Wrexham Road. It has housing on both sides.
The answer came farther along the road: see picture, above.
- Our estimates† suggest that the proportion of motorists in March 2024 sticking religiously to 20 mph is about the same as it was in the autumn/winter of 2023. This is around 10 per cent of drivers.
- The proportion of motorists prepared to exceed 20 mph has also therefore stayed the same.
- Comparing March to date with the autumn and early winter of 2023 and it seems that more are now approaching or exceeding 30 mph.
- About 13 per cent were sticking to 20 mph.
- About half were between 20 and 30.
- About 40 per cent were travelling at 30 mph (with few above, it must be stated). This is compared to about 50 per cent at and *above* 30 throughout Rhuthun. So, speeds were lower than in general but still certainly not 20 mph.
And, we looked at traffic speeds outside or near Ysgolion Brynhyfryd (Mold Road) a Borthyn. This was generally at times when the schools were in but not the school ‘rush’ hours, though we also did look at up to 8.45 a.m. There were times when traffic is almost at a standstill: we didn’t consider this sort of traffic. Motorists at Brynhyfryd were quicker than at Borthyn.
Sixth form pedestrians from both Brynhyfryd and Ruthin School use Mold Road at any time of the school day. Those from Ruthin School do so seven days a week, as they move between school and their accommodation at Ye Olde Anchor.
- On Mold Road, compliance with 20 was poor (see above chart). This is probably because after Rhos Street, Mold Road feels ‘open’ and non-residential. This includes those passing Brynhyfryd towards Llanbedr, where there are fewer pedestrians or sixth formers.
- Nearly two-thirds of motorists were still travelling at or about 30 mph (when traffic conditions allowed them to do so).
- Some parents having dropped off their children were exceeding 20 mph and even 25 mph.
- Some taxis taking children to school were non-compliant.
† We do not claim these figures to be scientific. We have not measured speed in the same way as the police are able to. Ours are estimates only, based on observations. Other than Mold Road and Borthyn, we haven’t estimated traffic at the same times each day.
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Traffic