Anti-20mph petition is the most signed in Senedd history! But Drakeford Ignores the wishes of the people!

Mark Drakeford is the Borris Johnson of The Welsh Government! He needs to go. What is the point in having a Welsh government if they are not going to listen to us, we might as well just go back to the British Government!

Please sign the petition HERE https://petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/245548

An anti-20mph petition has quickly become the most-signed in Senedd history – but the Welsh Government has no plans to reconsider the country’s new default speed limit. The number of signatures has doubled in 24 hours with more than 20,000 being added this morning alone.

Since the lower speed limit came into force on Sunday, social media has been awash with indignation. In some places, new 20mph signs have been defaced, splashed with paint or simply torn down and tossed away.

Motorists complain of “over-observant” drivers causing trains of vehicles as they drive well below 20mph to avoid fines. Others have applauded the 20mph default and slammed the “privileged bunch of opinionated, hypocritical... idiots” who continue to oppose the move.

On both sides of the debate, drivers note a rise in tailgating and, in some cases, risky overtaking manoeuvres. The petition calls on the Welsh Government to “rescind and remove the disastrous 20mph law”, claiming it will fail to achieve its stated aim of lowering road casualties.

The petition is open until March 2023 but it has already exceeded the number of signatures needed for Cardiff’s petitions committee to consider a debate in the Senedd chamber. Most signatures have originated in Wales with a majority from North Wales.

Not surprisingly, people in urban areas have dominated the petition. Most vocal in its opposition has been the constituency of Alyn and Deeside, which hosted one of the country’s eight 20mph pilot schemes.

In the past 24 hours, up to the time of writing, the petition has gained 95,200 signatures. By 10.30am today, the total stood at 144,445.

20mph petition showing Alyn and Deeside as being the focus of opposition in Wales (Image: Welsh Government)

Speaking on BBC Radio Wales’ breakfast show on Tuesday, Consul General Mick Antoniw said the Welsh Government had “no plans to change” the 20mph default. As for the scale of the petition, he said: “That is a matter for the Senedd petitions committee – it is the Senedd that chooses what that debate will be. If that takes place obviously government will participate and respond to it.”

Is the 20mph default speed limit here to stay? Let us know in the comments below.

Asked if Cardiff had misjudged public sentiment, he said the Welsh Government will be monitoring the situation and reviewing it if necessary. He added: “I think a lot of people are concerned. I think there’s a degree of confusion.

“We’ve just introduced changes – we need to allow them to bed in and I’m confident they will be workable and people will accept them. It will take time for what is a significant culture change to bed in. But I’m confident it will bed in. The experience from other countries like Spain is that will happen. The situation will be monitored and it will be reviewed.”

Concentration of people, by region, who have signed a petition calling on the Welsh Government to rescind its 20mph speed limit default (Image: Welsh Government)

Living Streets Cymru, part of the UK charity for everyday walking, has welcomed the new lower speed limit, which has reduced the number of 30mph roads in Wales to just 3% of the network. "This is, quite literally, life-changing legislation,” said chief executive Stephen Edwards.

“When someone is hit at 30mph, they are around five times more likely to be killed than if they were hit at 20mph.” Cardiff estimates the move will save six to 10 lives every year, result in 40% fewer collisions, and prevent up to 2,000 people from being injured.

From...https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/anti-20mph-petition-most-signed-27742064