03/28/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

NEW 20mph limits and other speed control measures are coming into force in Swansea.

Speed plateaus will be installed on High Street, Castle Street and St Helen’s Road, with a 20mph limit introduced and pedestrian crossings made more prominent.

In Gorseinon, the speed limit will drop from 30mph to 20mph through the town’s core commercial area and link to other existing 20mph limits, particularly on school routes and near the bus station. Speed plateaus will also be built.

A cabinet report said these areas were considered a priority because of the number of road collisions, especially those involving walkers and cyclists.

There is already a 20mph speed limit on The Kingsway, in the city centre, which is being extended south to Oystermouth Road.

Cabinet members agreed the £879,800 package of work, which is being funded by the Welsh Government, at a meeting on October 15.

Referring to the city centre schemes, the report before cabinet said: “This will help in opening the entire central area of Swansea to pedestrians and cyclists, creating a consistent environment for those vulnerable groups of road users.”

In addition, the council has bagged £508,300 of funding to make school routes safer at Gorseinon and Penyrheol. The cabinet report said 20mph zones had been introduced on roads adjacent to schools in the community, but that without other control measures their effect was limited.

“A number of residential streets have been identified that would benefit from traffic calming measures and footway improvements, it is therefore proposed to extend the 20mph zone to cover the whole residential network surrounding the schools leading to the centre of Gorseinon,” it said.

Other measures include a new crossing by Penyrheol Comprehensive School to make it safer for young people to access the skate park opposite, and another crossing at Heol y Mynydd.

Cllr Andrew Stevens said these were very welcome improvements for his Penyrheol ward, while Cllr Jennifer Raynor, who has the education portfoilo, said schools in the area had made good progress in encouraging pupils to cycle or walk to school.

“I would love to see it extended to more and more areas,” she said.

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