SEVEN in ten people in Wales oppose the new 20mph urban speed limits according to a new poll, with four in ten saying they regularly break it.
A new YouGov survey found that 72% oppose the blanket default policy in cities, towns and villages, with just 6% of drivers saying they never break the 20mph limit.
The Welsh Labour government, with the support of Plaid Cymru, reduced speed limits in built-up areas from 30mph a year ago, claiming it would reduce collisions, cut noise and encourage use of alternative transport.
While cases where people have been killed or seriously injured on roads in Wales fell to 78 in the first three months of 2024, compared to 101 in the first quarter of 2023, the blanket policy has become a rallying point for Labour’s opponents.
Welsh Transport Minister Ken Skates announced a review this summer, where councils can apply to reverse the policy on mainly "main or strategic roads".
And Monmouthshire Council has launched a consultation on which local roads people feel should revert to 30mph at www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/welsh-governments-default-20mph-speed-limit/
But in the meantime, increased enforcement has seen the number of fines for breaking the limit in South and mid-Wales jump from 134 in January to a whopping 6,002 in July.
A YouGov spokesperson said of its latest 1,151 people survey: "Opposition for the policy is widespread, with opponents outnumbering supporters among every part of the Welsh public.
"It is strongest among Conservative and Reform UK voters, nine in ten of whom oppose a uniform 20mph limit, but also holds only limited support among voters for the parties that supported the policy – with 59% of Labour and 56% of Plaid voters opposed.
"Such is the distaste for the new law that many Welsh people are simply disregarding it.
"Four in ten Welsh drivers (40%) admit to exceeding the 20mph limit ‘most’ or ‘all the time’, while a further third (33%) say they’ll occasionally go over the limit.
"Only 6% of drivers say they never breach the new 20mph limit, with another one in six (17%) saying they have only done so rarely.
"Perhaps key to at least some of the widespread nature of the opposition is the fact that few Welsh people believe a reduced speed limit actually achieves many of its supposed improvements.
"Excluding making it safer for pedestrians, which half of Welsh people (48 per cent) believe it does, the idea that the new 20mph limit has improved things finds little support."
Two thirds (66%) say it has made no difference to driver safety or worsened it.
And 73% per cent say it has not improved or worsened air pollution, with 80% saying the same for noise pollution.
The 20mph roll out sparked a record 469,000 Senedd petition calling on the Welsh Government to reverse the £34m Wales-wide imposition, while one in support of the lower limits attracted just 5,399.
Welsh Conservative Shadow Transport Minister and South East Wales MS, Natasha Asghar, said: “The opposition to Labour’s 20mph policy is widespread, continuing to grow, and the Welsh Government’s ‘listening’ exercise is clearly not having the desired affect on the Welsh public changing their mind in relation to this madcap Labour/Plaid policy.
“This latest poll shows people in Wales are rightly frustrated with the £33m policy that will hit the Welsh economy by up to £9 billion.
“The Welsh Conservatives have been clear; we will scrap 20mph, roll out a targeted approach in sensitive areas, reverse Labour’s road building ban and get Wales moving in the right direction.”
Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme last month they would look to remove the limit on some roads, but added: “I’m very clear that around schools, hospitals, built-up areas, playgrounds, it should be 20.
"I think there needs to be a conversation with the public about what’s appropriate.”