Newport City Council will begin introducing new 20mph speed limits across a number of residential streets in six city wards.
The measures are being introduced to help improve safety within residential streets, with evidence showing that lower speeds lead to fewer collisions, and also reduce the severity of any collisions and injuries that may occur.
The measures will also help ensure safety within residential streets while coronavirus-related social distancing regulations remain in force.
The new speed limits will be introduced into streets across the following six wards:
- Allt-yr-Yn
- Bettws
- Lliswerry
- Malpas
- Ringland
- Victoria
The measures, which will be phased in over the coming weeks as our teams work to install the necessary road signs, will be introduced on a temporary basis initially, ahead of a potential national rollout of plans by Welsh Government to make 20mph the default speed in residential areas.
It is hoped that, as well as increasing safety, the new speed limits will encourage more people to feel confident choosing sustainable travel options such as walking and cycling, which the council is also promoting through its active travel schemes.
Cllr Roger Jeavons, deputy leader of the council, said: “from reduced collisions to increased opportunities for walking and cycling, the evidence of the benefits of lowering speed limits to 20mph in residential streets is clear.
“I’m pleased therefore that the new limits we are introducing will improve safety in over 300 streets across the city and that thousands of residents will benefit from improvements to their communities in the form of slower, quieter, calmer streets.”
Work to begin bringing the new limits into force has started and residents are urged to keep an eye out for the new speed limit signs going up in their area. Existing speed limits will remain in place in each ward until the Traffic Regulation Order process completes tomorrow and all the new signs have been installed. The council will keep residents updated as to when this work has been completed.
