A PETITION against the new 20mph limit in Wales has already received over 70,000 signatures. 

The petition is calling on the Welsh Government to reverse the new law - which has seen 30mph roads reduce to 20mph. It can be found at https://bit.ly/45W6Igb.

The controversial new law came into effect on Sunday (September 17) - with the Welsh Government claiming that 10 lives a year will be saved as a result of the new speed limit.

There will be some exemptions to the new speed limit - with 14 roads in Flintshire and 10 in Wrexham ear-marked to revert back to 30mph. 

The required Traffic Regulation Orders (TRO’s) for the exemptipns cannot be legally implemented until after the September 17 following the introduction of the new legislation.

Confusingly, some 30mph signs remain - but all roads have been reduced to 20mph from Sunday.  

Leader readers are largely opposed to the new speed limit - with some describing it as "madness". 

They took to social media to have their say on it.

One person said: "Absolutely ridiculous. I can't see public transport coping well with it."

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Another added: "Drakeford didn't think about the carers that provide care to the elderly. Trying to cover when under staffed because of sickness is challenging enough but to impose 20mph is just putting even more pressure on carers to get around service users and get home for their kids and families on time."

A further commentor said: "I'm all for 20mph in side streets and schools. But been out in my car today which is a 2.3 Vauxhall Antara which was struggling in second gear at 20mph."

But not all our readers are against the new speed limit. 

One person said: "Please can everyone whinging and moaning about the 20mph reduction. Seek out someone who's had an elderly parent ploughed down by a speeder, or, seek out the parent of a child who was again lost to a speeding driver."

Research shows that setting the default speed limit at 20mph in residential roads in Wales will reduce pressure on the NHS from a reduction in injuries from road traffic collisions and save £92m each year.

In 2019, Spain reduced the speed limit to 30km/h (18.64mph) on the majority of its roads. Since then, there have been 20 per cent fewer urban road deaths, with fatalities reduced by 34 per cent for cyclists and 24 per cent for pedestrians.  

However, a three-year study on 76 streets in Belfast city centre which were reduced to 20mph had "little impact" on reducing road traffic collisions, casualties, or driver speed.

Stephen Edwards, chief executive of walking charity Living Streets, said:  “Introducing 20mph as the default speed on our residential streets will improve the places where we live, work and go to school. 

“When someone is hit at 30mph, they are around five times more likely to be killed than if they were hit at 20mph. This is, quite literally, life-changing legislation.  

“We will continue to work with Welsh Government to ensure that our streets and pavements are safe and accessible for everyone in our communities.”