Almost 50 roads and one industrial estate may revert to 30mph in North Wales county

Opposition remains high to default 20mph limits in Wales but there's also a large cohort of drivers who support the measure
-Credit: (Image: Rob Browne/WalesOnline)


Almost 50 roads with 20mph speed limits may go back to 30mph in Wrexham. It could see faster speeds return to more than 31km of the county’s road network.

As an entire industrial estate is up for consideration too, with multiple roads of unspecified length, the actual scale of potential change is much bigger. Currently, just 10 road sections across Wrexham are exempted from the 20mph speed limit and remain at 30mph.

Candidate roads for reversion were suggested by the public and these have been assessed for their eligibility by Wrexham Council. The resulting shortlist will now be subject to a public consultation to be launched on Friday, December 13. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox.

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A default 20mph speed limit on restricted roads was implemented across Wales in September 2023. The resulting backlash prompted a major review by Welsh Government. This resulted in a change in the guidance for local authorities, potentially making more roads exempt from the controversial speed limit.

To draw up its list, Wrexham Council received 440 emails from the public, of whom only 6% were flatly opposed to any revision. The breakdown was:

  • 207 general comments against the 20mph scheme.

  • 152 people suggesting individual locations that should revert back to 30mph.

  • 54 people suggesting numerous locations that should be reviewed.

  • 27 people responded supporting the 20mph limit and saying no roads should revert back to 30mph.

Cllr David A Bithell, deputy leader and lead member for housing and climate change, said: “We are now in a position to firm-up proposals for reverting some roads back to 30mph following initial consultation and feedback.

“We now have to carry out statutory consultation to change the legal orders. All costs associated with the proposed changes are fully funded from Welsh Government.” Join the North Wales Live WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone

A final decision will be taken at the council’s Executive Board meeting on February 12, 2025. The 46 road sections – and one industrial estate – in the consultation are listed below.

Roads that may revert to 30mph

  • B5445 Marford Hill, Marford: From its entrance to Springfield Farm, to a point 120m north east of its junction for Woodlands Road, in a southerly direction for 1.44km.

  • B5445 Chester Road, Gresford (near Clappers Lane to Woodlands Road): From a point 105m south-west of its junction with Clappers Lane to a point 120m north east of its junction for Woodlands Road, in a northerly direction for 1.69km.

  • Ty Gwyn Lane, Acton: Its entire length, a distance of 879m.

  • B5425 New Road/ Main Road/ Llay New Road, Rhosrobin: From a point 65m south of its junction with Ty Gwyn Lane, to a point 105m north of its junction with Plas Acton Road, in a northerly direction for 946m.

  • Plas Acton Road, Pandy: From its junction with B5425 New Road, to a point 81m west of its junction with Bluebell Lane, in a easterly direction for 430m.

  • A5152 Chester Road, Acton: From a point 114m south of its junction with Box Lane, to a point 34m north of its junction with Grove Road/Penymaes Avenue, in a southerly direction for 703m.

  • A5152 Chester Road, Acton: From a point 80m south of the roundabout for A483 Junction 5, Gresford Interchange, to its junction with Little Acton Drive, in a southerly direction for 973m.

  • Jeffreys Road, Borras: From its junction with Box Lane, to its junction with Borras Park Road, in a southerly direction for 1.06km.

  • B5100 Rhosnesni Lane, Acton/Rhosnesni: From its junction with Ffordd Elfed, to its junction with the roundabout of A5152 Chester Road, in an easterly direction for 848m.

  • A534 Holt Road, Wrexham/Rhosnesni: From a point 50m north east of its junction with Hullah Lane, to its junction with the roundabout for Cefn Road/Dean Road, in a north easterly direction for 709m.

  • A534 Holt Road, Borras: From its junction with the roundabout for Cefn Road/Dean Road, to a point 148m south-west of its junction with the roundabout for Llan-y-Pwll Link Road, in a north easterly direction for 835m.

  • A525 Kingsmills Road, Hightown: From a point 23m south-east of its junction with Derby Road, to a point 48m south east of its junction with Kingsmills Loop, in a south-easterly direction for 692m.

  • Kingsmills Loop (Old A525): From its junction with A525 Kingsmills Road, to a point 190m south of its junction with Abenbury Road, a distance of 472m.

  • Abenbury Road, Abenbury: Its entire length – from its junction with Kingsmills Loop, to its junction with Cefn Road, a distance of 810m.

  • Cefn Road, Abenbury: From a point 42m south of its junction with Hullah Lane, to a point 118m south-east of its junction with Kempton Way, a distance of 1.62km.

  • A525 Wrexham Road/ Bangor Road, Marchwiel: From a point 84m south-west of its junction with Marchwiel Hall Lane, to a point 250m east of its junction with The Ridgeway Loop, for a distance of 1.56km.

  • A528 Overton Road, Marchwiel: From its junction with A525 Wrexham Road, Marchwiel to a point 63m south of that same junction, a distance of 63m.

  • A525 Bangor Road, Cross Lanes: From a point 71m north-west of its junction with the roundabout for Sesswick Way, to a point 127m south-east of its junction with B5130 crossroads at Cross Lanes, a distance of 770m.

  • B5130, Cross Lanes: From a point 121m south-west of its junction with A525 crossroads at Cross Lanes, to a point 118m north-east of its junction with Nant Clwyd Park, a distance of 795m.

  • A525 Ruthin Road, Wrexham: From a point 107m west of its junction with Homestead Lane, to a point 117m west of its junction with Croesnewydd Road, a distance of 357m.

  • A541 Mold Road, Gwersyllt: From a point 96m south of its junction with Old Mold Road, to a point 26m north of its junction with High Street, for a distance of 860m.

  • B5425 Llay New Road, Llay: From the junction with the entrance to Alyn Waters Country Park, to a point 23m south of its junction with the roundabout for B5102 Llay Road, for a distance of 1.12km.

  • B5102 Straight Mile/Croeshowell Hill, Llay: From a point 360m south-west of its junction with Higher Lane/Gegin Lane, to a point 31m north east of that same junction, for a distance of 414m.

  • Gegin Lane, Llay: From its junction with B5120, in a southerly direction, for a distance of 210m.

  • Higher Lane, Llay: Its entire length, a distance of 1.06km.

  • Chapel Lane, Llay: Its entire length, a distance of 895m.

  • Phoenix Drive, Brymbo: Its entire length, a distance of 850m.

  • New High Street, Brymbo: From its junction with the roundabout for Phoenix Drive and New High Street, to its junction with Blast Road, a distance of 348m.

  • Railway Road, Brymbo: From its junction with the roundabout for Phoenix Drive and New High Street, to its junction with B5101 and Mount Hill, a distance of 277m.

  • B5101, The Lodge: From its junction with Broughton Road, to its junction with Cefn Road, a distance of 472m.

  • B5426 Wern Road, Minera: From its junction with Vicarage Hill, to a point 170m south of its junction with Access road to Minera House, for a distance of 805m.

  • B5426 Minera Hall Road, Minera: From a point 30m west of its junction with A525 Ruthin Road, to a point 140m east of its junction with Trem-Y-Mynydd, for a distance of 404m.

  • B5426 The Wern: From a point 91m north of its junction with Stryt y Scweiar, to a point 138m north of its junction with the Lane from Hafod Wen to Coppy Cottage, a distance of 543m.

  • B5605 Park Road/Newbridge Road, Rhosymedre: From a point 161m north of its junction with Plas Isaf, to a point 57m east of the access for Wynnstay Park & Lodge, a distance of 2.45km

  • A539 Llangollen Road, Acrefair: From a point 93m east of its junction with Hampden Way, to a point 12m east of its junction with Chapel Street, a distance of 945m.

  • A539 Llangollen Road, Trevor: From a point 26m west of its junction with Trefnant Park, to a point 29m east of its junction with Trevor Hall Road, a distance of 1.46km.

  • B5097, Chirk: From a point 44m north of its junction with West View, to a point 43m north of its junction with Colliery Road, a distance of 947m; and from a point 13m south of its junction with B4500 Castle Road, to a point 170m south of that same junction, a distance of 157m.

  • B5605 Wrexham Road, Johnstown: From a point 66m south of its junction with Fennant Road, to a point 9m north of its junction with Charles Street, a distance of 306m.

  • B5605 Ruabon Road, Johnstown: From a point 16m south of its junction with Stryt Las, to a point 42m south of its junction for Vauxhall Industrial Estate, a distance of 484m.

  • Vauxhall Industrial Estate, Johnstown: Its entire length (multiple roads).

  • B5605 Ruabon Road, Ruabon: From a point 22m north of the railway bridge, to its junction with East Avenue, in a southerly direction, for a distance of 71m.

  • B5605 New High Street, Ruabon: From its junction with East Avenue, to its junction with Vincent Street, a distance of 324m.

  • B5605 Bridge Street, Ruabon: From its junction with Tan-y-llan, to its junction with A539 Ruabon Roundabout, a distance of 461m.

  • A539/ B5605 Ruabon Roundabout, Ruabon: Its entire length, a distance of 206m.

  • B5097 from Plas Bennion Road to junction of Tatham Road, Ruabon: From its junction with Plas Bennion Road to a point 14m east of its junction with Tatham Road, a distance of 1.10km.

  • Plas Bennion Road/Copperas Hill, Penycae: From its junction with Afoneitha Road to a point 144m south of its junction with B5097, a distance of 313m.

  • Plas Bennion Road, Penycae (buffer zone): From its layby on the approach to the residential area, in a southerly direction for a distance of 301m.

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