Sarah Atherton MP has called on both candidates running to become Wales’ next First Minister to commit to repealing the Welsh Labour Government’s 20mph policy.
The policy is forecasted to cost the Welsh economy more than £4.5 billion.
The strength of feeling across Wales has been reflected with a record-breaking petition to the Senedd ‘to rescind and remove the disastrous 20mph law’ securing over 468,000 signatures. The Welsh Government is still yet to decide a date for the petition to be debated in the Senedd.
With a new First Minister set to be in place in March, the two candidates hoping to replace First Minister Mark Drakeford have committed to reviewing the policy in its current form, despite both previously voting in favour of it as members of the Welsh Government.
In contrast, Wrexham’s MP has actively opposed the policy even prior to its passage through the Senedd. Ms Atherton stated that she has engaged with ‘a large volume of residents’ regarding the new default speed limit; she fronted a rally against the 20mph policy in Gwersyllt back in October, and she has been running a 20mph survey on her website to gauge the views of her constituents.
Ms Atherton also wrote to the Welsh Government last year after receiving reports from constituents that damage was being inflicted to their vehicles following the default speed limit reduction to 20mph.
After chasing the Welsh Government on numerous occasions for a reply, Wrexham’s MP revealed that ‘the most recent development in the 20mph debacle’ is that the Welsh Government will not be compensating motorists whose vehicles are damaged as a result of the impact of the new default speed limit.
Ms Atherton also recently met with the Chief Executive at Wrexham Council to discuss the local authority’s response to the national policy.
Wrexham Council has reportedly stated that it is delaying a borough-wide review of the default speed limit, adding that it will not be applying exemptions to any 20mph roads until the new First Minister has taken office and delivered their own review.
The local authority is also said to be advising Wrexham residents to seek independent legal advice with any claims for compensation that they may wish to pursue for vehicle damages following the reduced speed limit.
This follows reports from earlier this month that all Arriva bus services in North Wales are set to be changed due to the effects of the 20mph policy, with a number of services to be slashed.
Today, Ms Atherton has stepped up her opposition to the new default speed limit and has called on Welsh Labour leadership hopefuls to scrap the policy as part of their pledge to the people of Wales.
Sarah Atherton MP commented:
“Both Welsh Labour Party candidates vying to replace the outgoing First Minister have a huge in-tray to deal with to even begin clearing the mess that has been left by the outgoing First Minister and his Welsh Labour Government.
“It is shameful that it has taken a leadership election for both candidates to finally listen to the people of Wales, discover their voices and find the courage to support a review into the policy that they both supported as key members of Mark Drakeford’s Cabinet. It is electioneering at its best.
“The Welsh Labour Government’s disastrous policy continues to be hugely unpopular to the extent that even the most loyal of Drakeford’s disciples are now turning against his legacy policy. Coincidentally, this happens at the exact same time that the candidates need to turn their ears outwardly from the echo chamber in Cardiff Bay to people that matter: the people of Wales.
“I am calling on both candidates to listen to my constituents and residents across Wales more widely, and commit to repealing the 20mph default speed limit.”