Following the announcement that politicians have approved proposals to drop speed limits to 20mph in built-up areas in Wales, a member of Senedd has spoken out against the Welsh Government plans calling it a “hare-brained pipeline venture”.

Earlier this week it was announced that politicians in Cardiff Bay had voted to approve plans to lower the default national speed limit on residential roads and pedestrian streets with streetlights fewer than 200 yards apart, from 30mph to 20mph.

Wales is the first UK nation to make the move and the Welsh Government says dropping the speed limit will ‘help save lives, develop safer communities, improve the quality of life and encourage more people to make more sustainable and active travel choices’.

Slower speed limits have been trialled in eight Welsh communities over the last year, including St Dogmaels, Abergavenny and Llanelli North, and 20mph speed limits will be rolled out across the whole of Wales in September 2023, at a reported cost of around £32 million.

Responding to the news, Member of the Senedd for South East Wales and Shadow Minister for Transport and Technology Natasha Asghar, wrote a letter criticising the plans.

In the letter, Natasha Asghar wrote: “I have no doubt that Labour ministers in Cardiff Bay like to see themselves as trendsetters and trailblazers with their so-called ‘progressive’ policies.

“This is something I can quite confidently say having sat through countless hours of speeches, debates, and questions since becoming a Member of the Senedd 14 months ago.

“Now I am sure Labour with their rose-tinted glasses won’t agree with me that their policies are bizarre or out-of-touch, but that’s the sad reality of it.

“Banning non-essential items like clothes and books from being bought during lockdown, introducing a devastating tourism tax, and pushing ahead with £100m plans to expand the Welsh Parliament.

“Those are just a few of the ludicrous pet projects sitting high on the list of Labour’s priorities at a time when our economy is struggling and NHS is crumbling, but the list goes on and on.

“And now Labour ministers have lifted the lid on their latest hare-brained pipeline venture: rolling out a blanket 20mph speed limit across Welsh roads.

“It is no secret that Labour ministers want to see people in Wales riding around in horse-drawn carts instead of modern methods of travel, but this latest scheme really does take the biscuit.

“By their own admission, this move could have a negative cost of £4.54 billion to the Welsh economy and cost more than £32 million to put in place.

“Is that really money well spent at a time we are facing ever-growing cost-of-living pressures? I don’t think it is and I am sure residents across the country will be thinking the exact same thing.”

After the trialling of lower speed limits across communities in Wales earlier this year, a consultation was held into the proposed dropping of speed limits across Wales and from just over 6,000 responses, 53% of people said they were against the lower default limit while 47% were in favour.

Reasons for opposition included longer journey times, increased congestion and concerns it could "annoy" drivers.

Natasha Asghar MS added: “Let me be clear, I am not against reduced speed limits in areas like playgrounds, schools, places of worship and busy highstreets, but a Wales-wide rule is utterly nonsensical.

“At a time when it is already difficult enough to travel around Wales because of Labour’s inaction and mismanagement when it comes to our crumbling transport network - this is the last thing commuters, visitors and residents need.

“Trials of 20mph zones have been taking place in various spots across Wales, and it is clear from my inbox it has gone down like a lead balloon with the public and businesses.

“It has caused more traffic congestion, frustration for drivers and ill feeling amongst local residents – the polar opposite of what Labour have set out to achieve.

“As well as coming with a rather hefty price tag, 20mph zones will also prove to be a nightmare for police and road safety organisations to enforce.

“It is a fact Wales has the highest percentage of drink-drive casualties in Britain with 110 to 130 in 2019-20.

“As much as I believe each life is important, you do not need to be a mathematical genius to see how many lives would be saved if the Welsh Government dropped their expensive 20mph scheme and provided more resources and guidance to combat drink drinking.

“Colleagues in Westminster have invested nearly £20 million into the THINK! drink-drive campaign since 2007 – helping to save nearly 1,000 lives.

“Surely instead of wasting taxpayer money making streets 20mph, the Welsh Government would be better off focusing their time and effort on that instead?”