Rishi Sunak has torn into the 20mph zone imposed in Wales, saying it is part of a “war on motorists”.
He said the speed limits do not reflect “the right values of the British people”, saying it shows that Labour’s priorities are not in line with the UK public.
The Welsh Government said the 20mph zones have been “thoroughly researched, debated, and voted on a number of times in the Senedd since it was put forward by a number of Assembly members in 2018, including Conservative members”.
Last week, Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt said the policy is “absolutely insane even by the standards of Labour’s Welsh Government”.
Asked if he agreed with Mordaunt, the Prime Minister told ITV Wales: “I think imposing a blanket 20 mile-an-hour speed limit on areas is absolutely not right.
“It doesn’t reflect people’s priorities.
“People are dependent on their cars for their day-to-day journeys and these kind of blanket bans aren’t the right proportionate approach.
“But also it comes on top of this other policy not to build any new roads as well.
“You take these things together, it seems like an attack on motorists and that’s rightly received the opposition that it deserves.”
He added: “It’s kind of a war on motorists.
“Those aren’t the right values of the British people who do rely on their cars to get around and we should be supportive.”
The change was introduced on Sunday, making Wales the first country in the UK to drop the default speed limit from 30mph to 20mph for restricted roads.
The Labour-led Welsh Government insist that lives will be protected by the policy, meaning the NHS in Wales could save an extra £92 million a year as a result.
It is predicted that the change would save up to 100 lives and 20,000 casualties in the first decade.
The Labour-led Welsh Government insist that lives will be protected by the policy
Drakeford said: “That is why this Government will stick fast to the decision that we have made, endorsed twice on the floor of the Senedd, not by a simple majority, but by a super majority, because of the human stories that lie behind the decision we have made and will go on implementing here in Wales.”
But a record 175,000 people have signed a petition calling for the 20mph limit to be abolished.
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Changing the default speed limit on restricted roads in Wales to 20mph does not impact on the legislation that allows police, fire and ambulance services to exceed speed limits in the course of emergency response duties.”
