Round-Wales 20mph protest convoy to show anger has ‘not gone away’
A first all-Wales convoy is being organised this month to mark the first anniversary of the country’s new 20mph speed limits. Organisers say they want to send a message that dissatisfaction has “not gone away” and that drivers will not be “forced out of our cars”.
The “peaceful” convoy will travel in stages across Wales over two days. The exact route has yet to be confirmed as organisers first want to gauge levels of participation in various parts of the country.
Anti-20mph drivers in North Wales have already agreed to organise sections of the route, which can be completed in part or the whole way. Starting from Narbeth, Pembrokeshire, at 10am on Saturday, September 14, it will head north, then along the A55[1], before returning south through Mid Wales back to Narbeth the following day.
Organising the protest is the United Voices Senedd Lobby Group on Facebook[4]. Members are planning to meet on the Senedd steps on Tuesday, September 17, 1pm-4pm. It will be their 15th gathering at the Senedd since default 20mph speed limits[5] were introduced on September 17, 2023.
Online, the group urged drivers: “Send a strong message to the Welsh Government[6] telling them how much our cars and driving mean to us. Make it clear that we will not allow them to force us out of our cars, regardless of what they have written in their transport plan!
“Show them that we have not gone away. We do not want the legislation. We have not got used to it and we never will!”
Confirmed stop points include Llyn Bach car park, Porthmadog, Gwynedd, at 2.15pm (departing at 3pm). Machynlleth, Dolgellau, Caernarfon and Bangor are also set to be passed by the convoy as it continues north. Sign up now for the latest news on the North Wales Live Whatsapp community[7][8][9][10][11][12]
Protesters can join the convoy at Tesco, Llandudno Junction[13], Conwy[14], at 4pm on Saturday, September 14. Leaving at 4.20pm, it will then head along the A55 to Broughton[15] shopping park, Flintshire[16], arriving there around 5.20pm to mark the end of the first day’s protest.
20mph protesters say they have already held 14 demonstrations at the Senedd
The following day, on Sunday, September 15, the convoy, will restart at Chirk Truck Stop on Gledrid roundabout, St Martins, at 10am. Next confirmed stop point is the Pool Road MacDonalds in Newtown, arriving at 11am and departing at 11.15am.
En route, the convoy will travel past Oswestry and Welshpool before heading back to the start point in Narbeth. As well as the A55, roads affected include the A470, A487, A546, A5 and A483.
Tina Lee, coordinator of online group Conwy County Residents Say No To Blanket 20 Limits, is organising the Llandudno Junction[17] leg. She said: “People are waking up now and like us, they have had enough. If we have any hope of change we need everyone to join us in the convoy.”
Each convoy stage will have a lead vehicle and end vehicle. Rules will be in place to ensure all road users are safe, including minimum vehicle distances. Drivers on each stage will set their own convoy speeds. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter[18] sent twice daily to your inbox
The Welsh Government has ordered a county-by-county review of 20mph roads but scepticism remains over its potential impact. Meanwhile, more drivers are being caught out on 20mph roads – in July there was a staggering 500% increase[19] in the number of North Wales drivers being caught speeding.
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References
- ^ A55 (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Woman dies 17 days after Gwynedd A487 crash (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Rockfall closes road at North Wales beauty spot (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Facebook (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ default 20mph speed limits (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Welsh Government (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Porthmadog (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Gwynedd (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Dolgellau (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Caernarfon (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Bangor (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Sign up now for the latest news on the North Wales Live Whatsapp community (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Llandudno Junction (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Conwy (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Broughton (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Flintshire (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Llandudno Junction (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter (www.dailypost.co.uk)
- ^ staggering 500% increase (www.dailypost.co.uk)