top of page
  • Writer's pictureSafer Highways

The 'mind-boggling' Welsh road with eight speed limit changes within two miles


Drivers in the Vale of Glamorgan have been left "confused" by a road which has eight changes to the speed limit within a two-mile distance.


Sky News took a drive along the A4222 to see what it was like.


The national speed limit applies until you reach the village of Ystradowen which is a 30mph zone.


Once through the village, the limit increases to 40mph, then back to 30mph, back to the national speed limit, before it drops to 30mph again.


At Aberthin the speed limit is 20mph, returns to 30mph for a couple of hundred yards, before dropping back to 20mph ahead of entering Cowbridge.


The local council says the speed limits on the road have been set in accordance with Welsh government regulations.


In Wales, the default limit in residential areas dropped from 30mph to 20mph in September.


The government says the change will make communities safer and "save lives".


Chris Banner, landlord of the White Lion at Ystradowen where a stretch of road has eight different speed limits within a two-mile distance. (Pic: Tomos Evans)


He told Sky News the changes in speed were "very complex".


"You're not quite sure what the speed limit is in terms of where you're going and the constant changes are very difficult," he said.


"I think it's very complicated for everybody who drives through the village."


The speed limit is often the topic of discussion among locals, according to Mr Banner.


"We get a lot of the local villagers in and then it's a bit of a topic of discussion most days to be fair," he added.


"I think they're very confused over why we've got so many speed limits in such a short space of time and also how we've ended up in that position with eight different speed limits in a two-mile radius.


"I think a lot of people are confused."


He told Sky News the frequent changes to the limit were "mind-boggling".


"Usually, the general consensus is everyone's happy for the 20 in the village. What we do find is people coming either in or out don't adhere to the 20," he said.


"There's a lot of people who don't like the 20, which is understandable. I'm not the biggest fan of it, but I think it works in certain areas."


The Welsh government said the speed limits along the road were a matter for the council.


A spokesperson for the Vale of Glamorgan Council said the criteria "for roads to be designated 20mph is the same as previously used to categorise them as 30mph".


"All new default 20mph roads and those that have remained at 30mph will be reviewed after a suitable bedding in period has passed," they added.


"This is to ensure that speed limits are set in a consistent manner, which is appropriate for their environment, traffic volume and other factors."


The spokesperson confirmed the council would add the location to its list of sites to review.

49 views0 comments

Comentários


Recent Blog Posts

NEWS AND UPDATES

bottom of page