The number of people caught exceeding the 20mph speed limit in one part of Wales has increased almost sixfold in a month. The figures of those caught breaking the speed limit are broken down into North Wales, Mid and South Wales.
In Mid and South Wales, 5,711 crimes were recorded in June, compared to 6,002 in July. In North Wales, 892 crimes were recorded in June, compared to 5,199 in July.
Not every offence is equivalent to a fine, as there are alternatives to fines, including the roadside training courses offered as part of the specially designed Operation Ugain, where police and fire service staff conduct roadside enforcement sessions rather than immediately issuing fines to legitimate drivers. More information about these sessions can be found here. Other people are brought to court or given exemptions.
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The average speed in North Wales in July was 28.8 mph, compared to 32.4 mph the previous month. In Mid and South Wales it increased slightly, to 28.4 mph, from 28.1 mph the previous month.
As part of Operation Ugain, staff monitored the speed of 192,825 vehicles in 20mph zones and provided 6,747 free instruction sessions as an alternative to law enforcement, according to figures from GoSafe.
According to GoSafe, the Welsh Department for Transport which monitors speed limits, the increase in violations in North Wales could be due to two reasons. Firstly, the days of sending warning letters instead of fines are over. Secondly, several mobile monitoring stations are being set up again in built-up or residential areas, at locations where there is evidence of road safety risks, where collisions have occurred and/or where communities have requested monitoring.
According to GoSafe, the number of speed limit enforcement locations has increased as enforcement measures are being established or introduced where speeding is a problem, and fixed cameras have been installed.
According to GoSafe, speeding offences in built-up areas fell by 29% in July 2024 compared to July 2023, as speeding offences recorded by GoSafe on 20 and 30 mph roads fell to 14,421 in July, compared to 20,303 in July 2023.
The total number of violations on 20 and 30 mph roads, including those observed by Operation Ugain teams, was 14,421 in July 2024. Despite the additional response teams being deployed nationwide, this figure is 29% lower than the total number of violations in July 2023.
According to GoSafe, published speed data from Agilysis and Transport of Wales (TfW) shows that people are driving slower. Provisional collision data recorded by police also shows that the total number of people killed or injured on Welsh roads is 16% lower than the same period in 2023.
