05/05/2023
The Vale of Glamorgan Council has been working closely with some residents in the Vale to implement safe, temporary street closures for children to enjoy outdoor play.
Play Streets, or Playing Out Sessions, are neighbour-led temporary road closures, which have already proved popular across the UK.
They create a safe space for children to play freely together on their doorstep.
28/04/2023
The Welsh Government has published 'Police recorded road collisions: 2022'.
In 2022 police forces in Wales recorded a total of 3,312 road collisions, broadly similar to the number seen in 2021, and a decrease of 23.5% compared to 2019.
These road collisions in 2022 resulted in 4,442 personal injuries. Of these, 93 people were killed, 921 people were seriously injured and 3,428 ‘slight’ injuries were recorded.
26/04/2023
Work to prepare Powys roads for the upcoming default 20mph speed limit will begin this week.
On 17 September, the Welsh Government will introduce a default 20mph speed limit on restricted roads across Wales. Restricted roads are generally those where streetlights are placed no more than 200 yards apart and are usually located in residential and built-up areas with high pedestrian activity.
The move will see Wales become the first UK nation to introduce a lower speed limit following in the footsteps of European countries, such as Spain, where 30km/h (18.5mph) is already in place.
Evidence shows reducing the default speed limit from 30mph to 20mph on these roads, will see a number of benefits including a reduction in road collisions and serious injury, more people walking and cycling and improvements to health and wellbeing.
20/04/2023
The completion of the safety and improvement work on the Aber Tai’r Meibion section of the A55, which includes a new active travel route, has been officially marked by the Minister for North Wales Lesley Griffiths.
The £30m scheme, which includes £20.7m EU funding, addresses the increased risk of flooding due to climate change and also improves safety on the section which was over 50 years old. Work included removing eight gaps in the central reservation where agricultural vehicles used to cross.
It has also delivered over four kilometres of a new and improved active travel route linking Abergwyngregyn with Tal-y-bont, Llanfairfechan and National Cycle Network 5 after consultation with residents of Abergwyngregyn. The development has been welcomed by cycling groups.
11/04/2023
GoSafe, Road Safety Wales and Welsh police forces urge road users to improve road safety for bicycle and motorcycle riders.
Powered Two Wheelers (PTW) and cyclists represent approximately 1% of all traffic on Welsh roads, however, 853 people from these groups were killed or injured in 2021. That represents 11.4% and 8.2% of road casualties respectively. This clearly shows that these groups are at higher risk of injury when involved in collisions.
There are steps that we can all take to keep ourselves and each other safe on the roads. GoSafe, RSW, and Welsh forces will be putting a focus on their aims to reduce the number of these collisions, through both education and enforcement.
07/04/2023
Agilysis has been commissioned to undertake the writing of a new strategy for road safety in Wales following a safe system approach with a vision zero goal.
Agilysis has a strong track record of producing road safety strategies, having already worked with several regional road safety partnerships and builds on international road safety reviews that the team have undertaken in the Middle East and the road safety performance framework for Scotland.
Over the next few months, a 6-phase process will draw on the input and expertise from stakeholders across Wales ensuring that the new strategy encourages a systemic and collaborative approach, embracing a shared responsibility between those who design, build, maintain, and use roads and vehicles.
04/04/2023
With the approaching Easter bank holiday weekend, the increasingly lighter days mark the start of the new motorcycling season for many riders.
Wales holds a major attraction for riders due to the uniquely challenging roads and breathtaking scenery. Whilst the vast majority of motorcyclists show an excellent standard of riding, a small minority choose to use the roads as a racetrack, putting themselves and other road users in danger and risking life changing injuries or even death. Police forces across Wales will target these individuals in the coming months, giving the clear message that poor and anti-social riding behaviour will not be tolerated.
This could also be the first time in a few months that many motorcycles have been out of the garage. Before every ride, preparation is key to your safety. Take a close look at your kit and your bike to ensure everything is in full working order, paying particular attention to the condition of your tyres, brakes and lighting – it could save your life. Just as important is ensuring that you are well prepared; never ride angry, tired or impaired by drink or drugs.
31/03/2023
Lee Waters MS, Deputy Minister for Climate Change:
"Today I have published a statement with partners from industry and local authorities setting out a further extension to our Bus Emergency Scheme (BES). Since the pandemic Welsh Government has spent over £150m through BES to keep vital bus services running.
"I can confirm we will extend BES for a further three week period to the end of this academic year. The scheme will now run to 24th July 2023. This will mean that school transport will continue as normal. It will also provide further stability for the industry while we work on the transition away from emergency style funding to plan bus networks which better suit the new travel patterns we have seen since the end of the pandemic.
27/03/2023
Swansea Council’s popular PATCH community road resurfacing programme is set to get a boost as part of almost £15m of investment in roads across the city in the coming years.
Swansea's Cabinet has approved a programme of work that will see road repairs, footpath upgrades and street light improvements across all communities in the city.
The package of measures, including almost £6m in the next 12 months with similar sums to follow in the two years after, will see roads repaired and work to prevent roads in good condition from deteriorating.
21/03/2023
A Gwynedd school pupil will have his artwork displayed on roadsides near schools across Wales to encourage drivers to respect the forthcoming 20mph default speed limit on most 30mph streets in Wales, from 17 September 2023.
A recent Welsh Government and Road Safety Wales competition captured the imagination of more than 2,000 talented young artists. Pupils in Year 5 to Year 8, in primary and secondary schools across Wales, were challenged to create designs.
It comes as Wales gets ready to see the default speed limits on restricted roads change from 30mph to 20mph, to make streets safer.