The BBCMore than 85,000 motorcyclists were caught breaking the 20mph speed limit in Wales in 2024, according to the latest figures.
In the first full year of enforcement, 48,337 drivers in South and Mid Wales were over the limit. Enforcement began shortly afterwards in North Wales, where 36,710 were caught.
Pro-20mph campaigners have said crime numbers are the same as before the new limits were introduced, proving their “effectiveness”.
But on Gorse Avenue in Swansea, It was previously revealed to be one of the worst roads in Wales for infringements.residents felt the 20 mph limit was “absolutely mental”.
Figures from GoSafe for December show that drivers caught breaking the average speed limit were 28.5mph in North Wales and 27.9mph in South and Mid Wales.
This month, the top speed recorded by GoSafe was 65mph while, throughout 2024, the top speed recorded was 88mph.
Currently, drivers are subject to enforcement if they exceed 26mph where a 20mph limit applies.
default limit, Introduced in September 2023.applies to just over a third of the road network in Wales. But it proved controversial.
Some sections of the road are expected to return to 30 mph.Especially those away from built up areas.
It follows a move by the Welsh Government, and a review process by highways authorities to consider increasing the speed limit on some routes.
Figures from a separate police force provided to BBC Wales show that more than half of all crimes take place on just seven stretches of road.
Between January and October last year, more than 8,000 drivers were caught on the A4102 Swansea Road at Gellideg in Merthyr Tydfil.
Meanwhile, around 3,700 crimes were recorded on Gorse Avenue, Swansea, during the same period.
The long residential street in the town’s Town Hill area has a row of shops, a nursery and primary school, sports facilities and a children’s play area.
Antonio Felicio, who lives nearby, said he had been fined 29 miles per hour on the road, adding that the new limit came after he returned from a seven-month trip to Asia. They did not realize this change.
“I don’t think it needs to be 20,” he said.
“In my opinion, 30 is fine if you’re careful when you drive.”
The 61-year-old added: “I drive a lot in the city, and it’s very difficult to know where 20 is and where 30 is.”
Adewale Akinade has lived on Gors Avenue near the primary school for more than 12 years and said he did not think a 20mph zone was needed except outside the school.
He said that we have not had any injury or accident on this road.
Mr Akinade, 58, added that the data showed the cameras were “very sensitive”.
“It’s ridiculous. It just reduces everyone’s profits – if I have to go do a bit of shopping before work, I won’t be able to do it in a reasonable amount of time.”
Diana Wardle, 71, recently moved to the street from the Swansea Marina area and said she hoped the road would return to 30mph.
“People were sticking to 20 miles an hour, stopping to let people through even if they were nowhere near the crossing. But that went on for about two weeks,” he said.
“I don’t mind 20 mph near the school, but [the full road] Seems silly when other places don’t.”
Taylor Richards, 33, said he often chose to use Carmarthen Road, which has a 30mph limit, parallel to Gorse Avenue, when traveling to visit his nan.
He said he wasn’t surprised people were breaking the limit, adding: “It’s like a main road, and it’s very slow.
“It’s a waste of money that could have gone to other things, it’s just mental.”
Ms Richards admitted that “we live in a city, it can be different in the countryside”, but felt that 20mph The zones are making people “more angry” behind the wheel, pointing out that it led to some cameras on the road, and In the wider Swansea areavandalism is being done.
Paul Bennett, a 61-year-old truck driver who lives on an adjacent street, echoed that.
“There’s a lot of confusion now,” he said.
“It’s constantly changing, even on the same street. How can the police pull you over, without an explanation?”
He said he would support the “main road bits” of the road returning to 30mph, and that the 20mph rule “causes accidents”.
“People are angry, cars are on your tail,” he said.
Swansea Council said “a review linked to the Welsh Government’s latest guidance is still ongoing” and confirmed Gores Avenue was part of that review.
It added that it had received funding from the Welsh Government to support any changes to speed limits as well as “vehicle speed limit signage following the introduction of new 20mph limits in Wales”. “Work in progress” will help.
“We are also looking at our options for future repairs to the damaged speed camera along Gorse Avenue,” he said.
The remaining five stretches were in Flintshire, topped by around 7,200 drivers caught on the A5104 at Pontybodkin.
No offenses were recorded in either Ceredigion or Powys.
Roadside monitoring of thousands of drivers under Operation Yogin, which offers free engagement sessions for those caught, found the majority were complying with the limit.
Adrian Berendt, director of 20’s Plenty for Us, said the overall number of speeding offenses was pretty much the same – or even lower – month-on-month compared to the period before the 20mph was introduced.
He said: “It is remarkable that the number of speeding offenses is the same as in previous years, because they are on the same roads as before, but with a lower speed limit of 10mph. together,” he said.
“This demonstrates, once again, the effectiveness of the new national fixed speed limit of 20mph in Wales.”