We looked in detail at the data for 20mph roads in Penarth
A MOTORIST was fined £1,014 for going 6mph over the 20mph speed limit on Westbourne Road in Penarth.
The offence, recorded in May 2024, saw a motorist fined more than a thousand pounds for driving at 26mph, Freedom of Information requests by The Cardiffian revealed.
By comparison, the highest fine issued on the nearby B4267 Lavernock Road, a 30mph zone, was just £230.
In total, 318 offences were recorded on Westbourne Road throughout 2024. Monthly data revealed significant spikes, notably in August (60 offences), July (53), September (52), and May (54).
Of these offences, driver education courses were the most common outcome, followed by fixed penalty notices and court prosecutions. The average speed of recorded offences was 27mph, only slightly above the enforced limit.
The 20mph speed limit covers 37% of the Welsh road network, and was brought in by the Welsh government in September 2023. In Penarth, police only started enforcing it in April of last year after a grace period for drivers to get used to the new rules.
According to GoSafe Cymru, enforcement of 20mph limits typically begins at 24mph, following the ACPO threshold of 10% over the limit plus 2mph.
At a town council meeting in November of last year, Councillor Neil Thomas raised the issue of persistent speeding on Plassey Street, Westbourne Road and Redlands Road, highlighting complaints from residents about “boy racers” to police liaison officer Inspector Gareth Childs.
“While the new 20mph speed restrictions aim to improve road safety, they are divisive,” said Inspector Childs.
“In some cases, they have led to slow traffic and increased commuting times.
“There’s an area of discretion as people go above 20mph, so we give words of advice rather than prosecute immediately.”
Councillor Thomas retorted: “It’s not discretionary—individuals should stick to it by law.”
The Welsh government’s £34m policy faced significant backlash, with nearly half a million people signing a Senedd petition opposing the 20mph limit. Protests were held and road signs were defaced in response.
Philippa Slack runs an osteopathy practice on Westbourne road along with her husband Jonathan.
“Honestly, I don’t think anyone sticks to it,” she said. “The number of cars I see speed down there – probably even over 30mph – is quite something.”
While she acknowledged the safety benefits, she suggested a compromise at 25mph might reduce frustration among drivers while still improving pedestrian safety.
New Welsh government figures show the number of people injured on 20 and 30mph roads fell by almost a third in the final quarter of 2024. There were 463 casualties between October and December, down from 681 in the same period a year earlier.
The overall number of traffic collisions in Wales also fell slightly in 2024, with 3,262 incidents reported, a drop of 1.6% compared to 2023.
The Labour-led government credited the default 20mph limit introduced in September 2023, while opposition parties have called for more data and a review is now under way.
Some stretches of road across Wales have reverted to 30mph, especially those away from built-up areas, with more expected to follow.
South Wales Police have been approached for comment on why the £1,014 fine was issued but the force has not yet answered.
