Four Cardiff roads will return to 30mph following a comprehensive review of the Welsh Government's 20mph Default Scheme in Cardiff and the completion of the necessary legal orders.
Sections of Newport Road and Western Avenue, along with Ocean Way and Hadfield Road, will return to 30mph following changes to signage, street lighting and resurfacing works where 20mph roundels are currently in place.
The changes follow a comprehensive review of requests submitted during the Welsh Government's 2024 20mph speed limit “listening” exercise and have been implemented in line with revised Welsh Government guidance issued last year.
The updated guidance provided local authorities with greater flexibility to assess the movement function and physical characteristics of roads, alongside the needs of the communities they serve.
Following the national ‘listening' exercise between April and the end of August 2024 Cardiff Council received 933 requests for roads to be considered for a return to 30mph. A total of 192 roads were subsequently reassessed using the Welsh Government's revised guidance and supporting assessment tool.
As a result of that process, speed limits on sections of Newport Road, Western Avenue, Ocean Way and Hadfield Road will revert to 30mph following completion of the works required to implement the new speed limits.
The changes include:
- Newport Road: Returning to 30mph, except for the section outside St Illtyd's Catholic School, which will remain at 20mph to protect pupils, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.
- Western Avenue: A section west of the Taff River Bridge will return to 30mph.
- Ocean Way: Returning to 30mph from its junction with Beignon Close to Rover Way, except for the section adjacent to the Ocean Park Sports Complex, which will remain at 20mph.
- Hadfield Road: Returning to 30mph between its junctions with Leckwith Road and Penarth Road.
Dan De'Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning and Transport, said:
“Following our extensive review of public feedback on the Default 20mph Scheme, the Traffic Regulation Orders have now been legally sealed, and work will begin next week to implement the 30mph speed limits on these four routes.
“The 20mph policy is making our roads safer, particularly in residential areas and around schools, where lower speeds help reduce the risk and severity of collisions. The vast majority of Cardiff's 20mph roads will remain unchanged because they continue to be the right speed limits for those communities.
“These changes show the review process working as intended, allowing councils to consider local circumstances and ensure we have the right speed limits on the right roads. By retaining 20mph where it delivers the greatest benefits and making targeted changes where appropriate, we can continue creating safer, healthier and more people-friendly streets across Cardiff.”
