Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 20mph speed limit in Torfaen being reviewed? 

There are no plans to change the default speed limit in Wales, but new guidance issued to local authorities last year has meant more roads could be exempt.

In Torfaen, 36 exceptions were put in place which could increase to 44 under revised proposals, to include:

• Newport Road, Cwmbran (part)
• Estate Road, Blaenavon (including Gilchrist Thomas Industrial Estate)
• The A4043 north from Pontypool towards Abersychan (part)
• New Road, between Griffithstown and New Inn (part)
• Usk Road, New Inn (part)
• Riverside, Pontypool
• Turnpike Road, Llanyravon (part)
• B4236 Caerleon Road (part) - 40mph section

Traffic Regulation Orders will be produced for each road, which is a legal process councils must follow to alter any speed limit. Details will be published in the local area, on the council’s website and in the local press.

Every TRO will be subject to a public consultation. The council is required to consider any comments or objections prior to implementing any changes. Depending on the outcome of the statutory consultations, work to implement the changes should be completed by the end of spring 2025.

Will the council have to pay for any new speed limits to be introduced? 

No, the Welsh Government has said it will fund the cost of adjusting any speed limits in the same way it paid for the cost of the default 20mph rollout. 

Will I still be fined if I don’t stick to the new limit? 

GoSafe and police partners are using a combination of engagement and enforcement.  

More information can be found on the GoSafe website. 

How do I know if a road is 20mph? 

If you are driving in a residential or built-up area, and there are streetlights, then drive at 20mph unless you see a sign telling you otherwise. 

There are gateway speed limit signs, the larger signs shown as you enter a different speed limit area, to clearly indicate the correct speed. 

Repeater signs, the small circle signs often seen on streetlights, are no longer allowed on roads where the default speed limit is 20mph.  

In any 20mph areas without streetlights, additional signs are in place to indicate the speed limit. 

Why was the default speed limit changed? 

The new default 20mph speed limit was introduced in September 20203, to make roads safer, reduce road collisions, encourage more people to walk and cycle, to improve health and wellbeing and to safeguard the environment for future generations. 

What impact has the new speed limit had? 

Early data published by Transport for Wales in February 2024 shows speeds have reduced by an average of 4mph since the national rollout. 

Monitoring continues and will be published as available.