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A new report has highlighted a sharp increase in the number of fines being issued to motorists in Wales since residential speed limits were lowered to 20mph.
Rolled out on restricted roads in September 2023, the Welsh Government hopes that the lower speed limit will help to reduce road accidents and encourage more motorists to use alternative forms of transport where possible, such as cycling or buses.
However, it has caused the number of fines issued in the country to rise sharply, with a Freedom of Information request highlighting that 7,958 drivers were caught speeding in August 2024.
This figure is up by nearly 3,000 from the previous month, with 5,199 fined in July 2024, and more than 30 times higher than it was in April when 251 drivers were charged.
Of the nearly 8,000 speeding fines issued in 20mph zones in Wales during August 2024, over 7,400 were caused by fixed speed cameras, with data suggesting that seven in particular have racked up the majority of convictions.
Of these, one of the biggest hotspots for speeding fines is on the A5104 in Pontybodkin, Flintshire.
Compared to conventional speed cameras, the device used in the small village uses infrared technology that allows it to be more accurate at night and not require a flash when taking a photograph, meaning drivers will only know they were caught when a fine lands in the post.
During August 2024 alone, nearly 2,400 drivers were fined due to this camera, with some caught travelling at 50mph on the residential street.
Another common location for speeding fines in Wales during August 2024 was on the A548 in Oakenholt, with 1,181 penalties issued over the 31-day period.
Much like on the A5104, some drivers caught on the device were travelling at speeds of more than double the limit, with one road user seen doing 56mph.
Cameras in Sychdyn, Maesglas and Ffordd Gladstone were also noted as being hotspots for speeding fines in Wales, with all three cameras catching more than 800 offending motorists during the month.
