Only four vehicles observed the speed limit during an experiment by The Cardiffian
THE vast majority of vehicles are breaking the 20mph speed limit on some of Butetown’s busiest roads, an experiment using a speed gun suggests.
The Cardiffian used a Bushnell velocity speed gun – the same model used by community speedwatches – and pointed it at 100 cars one three roads.
The data we collected showed the average speed of vehicles was 25.4mph on Lloyd George Avenue, 27.6mph for Callaghan Square, and 29.3mph on Tyndall Street.
The highest speeds we recorded were 40mph on both Tyndall Street and Lloyd George Avenue, and 38mph on Callaghan Square.
Of the 100 cars whose speeds were measured, only four were driving at or below the speed limit.
Among the speeding vehicles were taxis, buses, and even a police van – though police are permitted to drive over the speed limit if it’s for a policing purpose.
Our experiment follows the news that four roads are to be reverted to 30mph due to the controversy over Wales’ nationwide 20mph limit – though the roads we measured are all set to remain at 20mph.
The Cardiffian interviewed people who admitted to speeding and while they agreed to be named, we have decided to keep them anonymous to get honest opinions and what is, after all, a crime.
“Every car journey I do, I don’t even think about it. It just doesn’t feel like punishment is inevitable,” a 35-year-old tech manufacturer told us.
“If I see an empty road, no pavements, no foot traffic, and I’m driving at 20mph, putting my leg down on the pedal is not hard to do – it doesn’t make me feel like I’m doing anything dangerous.
“If the goal is to stop people speeding, the punishment must be inevitable.”
READ MORE: Enforcement begins at 24mph
A 45-year-old tradesman told us: “From my experience of driving in Cardiff, most people drive in excess of 20mph, including myself.
“I have, on occasion, been behind someone driving at 20 mph on Hadfield Road, which is a road dissecting a commercial area, and it just seems positively daft going at that speed.
“What we need is a more targeted approach against bad and dangerous drivers: longer bans, bigger penalties etc”.
The Cardiffian’s findings contradict the official data supplied by GoSafe – the partnership between councils, government, and police – which operates Wales’s speed cameras.
Their data shows that 96% of drivers complied with 20mph speed limits between January 2024 and January 2025 in Mid and South Wales.
The GoSafe data was collected from visible roadside speed cameras, which means it is possible motorists slowed down when approaching the cameras.
When asked for comment, GoSafe said: “Speeding is one of the main contributory factors to collisions on our roads.”
Of those caught speeding, just 0.7% were prosecuted. The rest undertook engagement sessions to ensure they understood the new speed limits.
Helen Gunter, a councillor for Butetown, said: “Whilst Tyndall Street and Callaghan Square are main roads used to drive across the City this is also a very residential area.
“Families with young children walk to school, people walk to work at the offices here, students walk to the college and pedestrians cross these roads on their way into the City Centre.
“The speed limit quite rightly takes this into account. I’m very concerned that some drivers are driving at higher speeds”.
The Cardiffian chose these streets because it had noticed regular speeding.
