THE Prime Minister has branded Wales' new default 20mph speed limit as an "attack on motorists".

Rishi Sunak has claimed that new speed limit doesn't reflect "the right values of British people".

Speaking to ITV Wales, Mr Sunak said: "People are dependent on their cars for their day-to-day journeys and these kind of blanket bans aren't the right proportionate approach. But also it comes on top of this other policy not to build any new roads as well.

"You take these things together, it seems like an attack on motorists and that's rightly received the opposition that it deserves."

There has been vocal opposition to the law change, with a Senedd petition calling for it to be scrapped attracting nearly 450,000 signatures.

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Much of the political backlash has come from the Welsh Conservatives. However, only one Tory Senedd Member, Darren Millar, voted against it in a debate called 'Introducing 20mph Speed Limits in Wales' in 2020.

Mr Sunak added: "You've seen the opposition from people in Wales to this policy. Look, it's not alone - a Labour mayor in London imposing the ULEZ charge, £12.50 on ordinary families when they're just trying to get their kids to school, take them to football practice, go weekly shopping or, you know, get to work. Those aren't the right values of the British people who do rely on their cars to get around and we should be supportive of them."

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “The introduction of a 20mph speed limit in mainly residential areas is designed to save lives and make our communities safer for everyone, including motorists.

"It has been thoroughly researched, voted on in the Senedd and received the backing from a majority of Senedd Members. There has been extensive consultation and it has been trialled in communities across Wales."