GOV Wales - Setting exceptions to the 20mph default speed limit for restricted roads 

• Restricted roads are typically located within residential areas and currently have a speed limit of 30mph. 
• A 20mph speed limit should be applied where there is potential for pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicles to mix frequently, with 30mph only being considered as an exception where strong evidence exists that higher speeds are safe. 
• 'Place criteria' have been developed to determine where 20mph speed limits should be applied, providing a consistent approach across Wales. 

Place Criteria

Within 100m walk of…

• Any educational setting e.g. primary, secondary further education and higher education
• Any community centre
• Any hospital (and other healthcare buildings) 
• Where the number of residential and/or retail premises fronting a road exceeds 20 properties per km

Possible additional criteria for 20mph

There may be sections of road where there are (potentially) significant demands, for walking and cycling which do not meet any of the place criteria, but where a 20mph speed limit may be appropriate: 

• land on either side of the carriageway is open parkland and/or sports fields in regular use by people on foot and/or cycle
• regularly used accesses to schools or hospitals are along the road, even though this may be more than 100m from their main entrances
• there is a designated active travel route on the carriageway
• where the number and/or type of collisions occurring along the road means that the road users and the local community would gain significant road safety and other benefits from a speed limit of 20mph.