Road collisions and casualties in Wales have fallen over the past year, according to the latest figures released by the Welsh Government, as the controversial 20mph speed limit policy continues to be reviewed.

The figures for April to June 2026 show collisions across all Welsh roads fell by 19 per cent compared with the same period last year, while casualties dropped by 20 per cent.

On roads with 20mph and 30mph speed limits combined, collisions were down 22 per cent and casualties fell by 20 per cent. Compared with the same quarter in 2023, before the default 20mph limit was introduced, collisions on those roads were down 37 per cent and casualties by 35 per cent.

Deputy Minister for Transport Mark Hooper said the figures provided further evidence that the default 20mph limit was helping to make roads safer. He said the government would continue to monitor the figures as part of its evaluation of the policy.

The lower speed limit came into force in September 2023, changing the default on most residential and built-up roads from 30mph to 20mph. It prompted widespread opposition from some motorists and businesses, alongside concerns about journey times and the cost of implementation.

Following public criticism, the Welsh Government revised its guidance in 2024 to allow councils to assess which roads could appropriately return to 30mph. Any changes require a formal legal process, and the intention is to target 20mph limits where people are most likely to benefit from safer, slower traffic.

The changes also come at a cost. The original rollout was estimated to have cost around £32 million, while the cost of switching selected roads back to 30mph was estimated at between £3 million and £5 million. In Wrexham, the Welsh Government provided £400,000 for signage and related safety work to return 52 sections of road to 30mph.

The latest figures are encouraging for road safety, although they do not by themselves prove how much of the reduction is directly attributable to the 20mph policy. The Welsh Government has cautioned that longer-term data will be needed to assess the effects fully.

The figures exclude the Covid pandemic period when making comparisons with previous records, and the government says the latest results represent the lowest levels recorded on this basis.

The debate over the policy is likely to continue, but ministers say the priority remains reducing collisions and preventing people from being seriously injured or killed on Welsh roads.