20mph: The Welsh village where locals want the speed limit reduced
ITV Wales' Rural Affairs Correspondent Hannah Thomas reports from Abercrave
Campaigners in a Powys village are calling for the speed limit to be reduced to 20mph because visitors and locals are being put increasingly at risk by fast traffic.
Abercrave may be a small village with less than 750 inhabitants but it's also home to the Wales Ape & Monkey Sanctuary, which welcomes tens of thousands of people every year.
The 20mph policy has proved to be extremely controversial, an ITV Wales poll found just 31% supported the reduction in speed limits while 66% opposed them when the law changed.
The Welsh government says that reduction will make the country a safer and greener place to live but opponents argue that the costs of the scheme greatly outweigh the benefits.
A review is now underway to look at how the changes have been implemented, as well as its effectiveness so far.
Rosie Nelson from Wales Ape & Monkey Sanctuary said: "This is a tourist attraction in Powys County Council. They should be helping us look after the area.
"A lot of people come from afar just to visit the sanctuary. We have up to 40,000 visitors a year, a lot of families.
"They've got to cross the road because the sanctuary is split into two sides."
The outrage and near-misses have led to locals and visitors staging protests calling Powys County Council to step in and reduce the speed limit.
One of the locals who was part of the protest was wheelchair user AJ. She said: "I've had some hairy moments where people have had to come round my wheelchair.
"It's dangerous for me and it's dangerous for the driver as well because you don't want to be hitting 150kgs of metal in your car."
Powys County Council say the speed tests they've conducted show vehicles travelling at no more than 14mph.
They also say the sanctuary is on a rural unclassified road with no recorded collisions in the last 24 years.
More 30mph signage will be put up in Abercrave in the coming weeks.
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The Welsh Conservatives have repeatedly called for the new 20mph speed limits to be scrapped, branding the changes as a "crazy law".
Despite that, Fay Jones, the Conservative MP for Brecon and Radnorshire is supporting the villagers' campaign.
She said: "We've had a lot of debate around speeding over the last year or so and rightly so.
"That's why we should target measures in hotspot areas and it would be fantastic of Powys County Council would come and see what it's like for people who are visit visiting the Ape and Monkey Sanctuary."
The 20mph speed limits are enforced by GoSafe and Welsh police forces.
GoSafe is a partnership funded by the Welsh Government made up of the 22 Welsh local authorities, four Welsh police forces and the Court and Tribunal Service.
In response to the concerns by the villagers, the organisations said: "GoSafe received a report regarding speeding in Heol Y Gwydde, Abercrave in March 2023.
"An assessment conducted in April 2023 and further surveys in September 2023 and October 2023 found that the location did not meet the criteria for mobile enforcement.
"Alternative methods are being considered, including our Community Speed Watch scheme.
"This national initiative would allow member of the community, in partnership with the police, to use detection devices to monitor local vehicle speeds.
"We will continue to liaise with the local community as we work together to make the road safer for everyone."
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