Driving advice
20mph roads: What you need to know
Navigating the lower end of the UK’s speed limits
Ryan Barham
Last updated: 30/09/2025
Ryan Barham
Last updated: 30/09/2025
A recent BBC news report claimed almost 900 fewer people have been injured on Welsh roads since the default speed limit was reduced to 20 miles per hour in September 2023. Road safety campaigners 20’s Plenty claim the reduction has resulted in 882 fewer injuries and 14 prevented deaths.
A controversial decision when it was brought in on Welsh roads, the lowering of the speed limit was designed to save lives and reduce collisions. The Welsh government is now implementing the limit on targeted roads, rather than using a blanket approach.
This revised guidance will encourage local authorities to weigh up the benefits and disbenefits of a higher speed to ‘ensure that speed limits are set in a way that promotes safety, efficiency, and community wellbeing’.
The 20mph limit applies to most residential areas in Wales and some in England and Scotland but how does it affect your driving - and your insurance? We’ll look at some of the facts and stats about 20mph zones, the reasons it has been brought in and how you can stay safe while driving.
Recent Tempcover research examined the areas of the country where 20mph speed limits are becoming more common, with Wales, London (TfL suggests 165 miles of its roads are now subject to a 20mph limit) and the North West having the highest percentages on average.
In addition to this, 20’s Plenty claims ‘Nearly 30 million people in the UK live in places committed to 20mph’.
Regarding these results, our temporary car insurance expert, Claire Wills-Mckissick, said: “With an increasing number of roads being adapted to 20mph speed limits, drivers must remain alert and check for local speed limits to avoid fines or accidents. Whether you’re in an unfamiliar area or passing through a newly changed zone, take a moment to familiarise yourself with the surroundings, look for speed limit signs, and adjust your driving accordingly.
"Staying mindful of these limits not only ensures you're following the law but also helps to create safer roads for everyone.”
In Wales, the speed camera company GoSafe has teamed up with the country’s police, fire and rescue forces to deliver Operation Ugain: an engagement-focused approach to help drivers adjust to the change.
Drivers caught ‘exceeding the speed limit to a greater degree’ will not be eligible for the engagement session and will be prosecuted. As Operation Ugain is a Welsh initiative, please note drivers caught speeding over 20mph on relevant roads in England or Scotland could face immediate prosecution.
Surrey County Council is one of the local authorities bringing in a more flexible approach to 20mph speed limits. The benefits of 20mph schemes are listed on their website as follows:
The slower vehicle speeds could lead to fewer collisions, reduced collision severity and safer roads for vulnerable groups like children, the elderly and people with disabilities.
Slower vehicle speeds support healthier lifestyles by encouraging people to walk, scoot and cycle more.
Fewer vehicles on the road means less congestion and lower carbon emissions, therefore improved air quality.
Road safety charities are advocating for 20 miles per hour to be the legal speed limit on restricted and urban roads.
The Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) 2025 review ‘offers strong evidence that ‘20mph zones—particularly those supported by physical measures—consistently reduce traffic collisions and casualties’, while Brake’s website states ‘there is consensus from road safety professionals that 20mph is the maximum safe speed limit for places where motorised traffic is in close proximity to people walking and cycling’.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents research found that 20mph zones reduced the number of casualties by over 40% and that there is a 2.5% chance of a pedestrian being fatally injured compared to a 20% chance at 30mph. TfL’s long-term research also indicates there will be fewer collisions on borough roads at this slower speed.
The average stopping distance between 20mph and 30mph is significantly different, with the slower speed giving drivers more time to avoid a collision:
There are significant costs involved in replacing 30mph roads with the lower limit: infrastructure, new signs and the installation process can all cost significant amounts of money.
Although it may seem frustrating when you are sat at the wheel and sticking rigidly to the 20mph limit, Transport for London data suggests the lower driving speed does not actually make that much difference to your journey time, describing its impact as ‘negligible’.
Their research suggests the majority of delays are caused by regular peak time congestion, vehicle breakdowns and queues at junctions etc.
According to Confused.com, one common complaint about the slower speed limit is an increase in tailgating. If you find yourself being followed just a little too closely by another driver, try to remain calm and do not retaliate.
Speed limits are legally enforceable but as mentioned above, the penalty may depend on circumstances or the official’s discretion. For yours and other road users’ safety, it would be best to stick to the speed limit.
The BBC article about road injuries dropping in Wales states: ‘In April it was revealed more than 112,000 speeding offences were committed up to March 2025 since the introduction of the default speed limit in September 2023.’
The highest speed recorded was 89mph (143 km/h) in January 2025 but the average speed was most often about 28mph (45 km/h) , according to road safety partnership GoSafe.
If you’re caught speeding, you could face a fine and penalty points or the opportunity to attend a speed awareness course, which will teach you all about the dangers of speeding.
There are already 20mph zones in some areas of England and Scotland, with more appearing in major cities and urban roads. While there are currently no plans to launch country-wide changes, it’s always worth looking out for signs and taking notice of the local signs.
Although there are expected to be some key changes made to road safety legislation in the near future, these are likely to be based around driver health, impaired driving and drink- and drug-driving.
It’s important to be aware of and adhere to speed limits to stay safe on the road and avoid potential fines and penalties. The 20 miles an hour limit was brought in to make roads safer and the statistics show there have been fewer injuries and incidents - and this lack of claims may have partially contributed to lower insurance costs.
It’s always important to have cover whenever you’re on the road - and whatever speed you’re travelling at. If your car is out in action and you need something more flexible as you borrow someone else’s, why not take out temporary car insurance? It’s fully comprehensive as standard and you can get a quote in just 2 minutes.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm286pyjml7o
https://www.gov.wales/introducing-default-20mph-speed-limits
https://www.gov.wales/introducing-20mph-speed-limits-frequently-asked-questions
https://www.pacts.org.uk/new-report-the-impact-of-20mph-speed-limits/
https://www.gov.wales/20mph-speed-limits
https://www.gov.wales/introducing-default-20mph-speed-limits
http://gov.wales/introducing-20mph-speed-limits-frequently-asked-questions
https://www.rospa.com/siteassets/documents/active-travel/a-guide-to-20mph-limits-1123.pdf
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/20mph-speed-limit-rule-rolling-102041517.html
https://www.confused.com/compare-car-insurance/guides/20-mph-zones
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2025/jan/18/uk-20mph-speed-limits-car-insurance-costs-premiums
You can receive penalty points for driving over the limit in a 20mph zone. This is because you could be prosecuted for speeding. This could lead to three penalty points and a fixed penalty fine of £100 or the chance to attend a speed awareness course. If you are pulled over for speeding in Wales, you may be offered a roadside engagement presentation warning of the dangers of speeding.
20 miles per hour roughly translates as 32 kilometres per hour.
While it may feel slow while driving a vehicle, 20 miles an hour is still a moderate speed. Road charity Brake says: ‘A vehicle travelling at 20mph would stop in time to avoid a child running out three car-lengths in front. The same vehicle travelling at 25mph would not be able to stop in time, and would hit the child at 18mph. This is roughly the same impact as a child falling from an upstairs window. A pedestrian hit at 30mph has a very significant (one in five) chance of being killed.’
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