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Welsh government figures show 19% fewer road collisions and 20% fewer casualties in April–June 2026 than in the same quarter of 2025. Compared with April–June 2023, cyclist collisions fell from 78 to 45 and serious cyclist injuries from 28 to 15; no cyclist deaths were recorded in the latest quarter. The figures are consistent with improved road safety, but do not by themselves establish that the 20mph policy caused the decline.
Road collisions in Wales fell 19% and casualties fell 20% in April–June 2026 compared with the same quarter a year earlier, according to new Welsh government figures. The data also records 15 serious cyclist injuries, down from 28 in the same quarter of 2023, before Wales introduced its default 20mph limit on most urban and residential roads.
There were 45 recorded cyclist collisions between April and June 2026, compared with 78 in the corresponding quarter of 2023. Fifteen riders were seriously injured in the latest period, against 28 three years earlier. No cyclist deaths were recorded in April–June 2026, the report says. The figures concern a three-month period, not a full-year total.
Across all road users on roads where the 20mph and 30mph limits apply, collisions were 37% lower and casualties 35% lower in the second quarter of 2026 than in the same quarter of 2023. The Welsh government described the casualty figure as a record low for a year outside the Covid pandemic. Separately, the year-on-year comparison showed a 19% fall in collisions and a 20% fall in casualties on all roads in Wales.
Deputy Minister for Transport Mark Hooper said the figures were “extremely encouraging” and provided “more evidence” that the default limit was helping improve road safety. He said the government would continue to monitor the trends as part of its evaluation. The figures show changes over time; they do not, on their own, isolate the effect of the speed limit from other factors that could affect road safety.
What the casualty figures show
The figures matter to people who travel on Welsh roads because they indicate fewer reported collisions and injuries across the periods compared. The reduction in cyclist collisions from 78 to 45 and serious injuries from 28 to 15 is especially relevant to people who cycle, alongside pedestrians and other road users affected by traffic speeds.
The figures also feed a contested debate over the default 20mph limit. Supporters point to the reductions as evidence consistent with improved safety. Critics have raised concerns about driver confusion and frustration. A before-and-after comparison can show that outcomes changed, but it cannot establish by itself what caused that change or how much of it is attributable to the policy.
For public authorities, the results are one part of the evidence used to assess whether the policy is meeting its safety aims. For readers, the distinction between recorded trends and proven cause is important: the reported figures are encouraging, but further evaluation is needed to assess the policy’s specific contribution.
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How Wales changed its speed limits
Wales introduced the default 20mph limit in September 2023 on urban and residential roads that had generally been subject to a 30mph limit. The change applied to about 35% of roads in Wales and expanded the length of roads with a 20mph limit from roughly 870 kilometres to around 13,000 kilometres, according to the source report.
The government at the time said the policy aimed to reduce deaths and serious injuries, address pollution and encourage walking and cycling. The change drew strong political opposition before and after implementation. In April 2024, the government announced that councils could restore a 30mph limit on selected roads following case-by-case consideration and local demand.
Hooper has also acknowledged that the policy’s presentation contributed to public opposition. In comments to road.cc earlier in October, he said the government had not spent enough time explaining the benefits before implementing the change, and that it tried to build public support afterward. His comments address the politics and communication of the policy, rather than independently verifying what caused the latest casualty figures.
““These latest figures are extremely encouraging and provide more evidence that the 20mph default speed limit is helping to make our roads safer.””
— Mark Hooper, Welsh deputy minister for transport
What the figures cannot establish
The figures report collisions and casualties over specific periods; the available material does not provide a causal analysis showing how much of the decline resulted from the 20mph limit. Other influences on road use, traffic volume, reporting or road safety may also affect comparisons. The government says the trends are part of an ongoing evaluation, but the source material does not detail its methods or set out when a full assessment will be published.
The latest cyclist totals cover April through June only. They do not establish the number of injuries or deaths across all of 2026, nor do they show whether the reductions were consistent across every part of Wales, road type or road user group. The report also gives no further breakdown of the severity categories beyond the stated serious injuries and deaths.
It is also unclear from the figures how many roads have had their speed limits changed back to 30mph under the case-by-case process, or whether those changes affected the comparisons. The reported percentage declines apply to the stated road groups and periods and should not be treated as a direct measure of the policy’s impact on every individual road.
Ongoing evaluation and monitoring
The Welsh government says it will continue monitoring casualty trends as part of its evaluation of the default 20mph policy. Further quarterly data may show whether the reductions persist, but the source material does not specify a date for the next figures or a timetable for publishing a fuller evaluation.
Councils can consider requests to return selected roads to 30mph through the announced case-by-case process. The next developments to watch are subsequent casualty releases, details of the government’s evaluation and any further local decisions about speed limits. Until then, the current figures provide a snapshot of road safety outcomes for April–June 2026, not a final verdict on the policy.
Key Questions
How much did serious cyclist injuries fall?
There were 15 serious cyclist injuries in April–June 2026, compared with 28 in the same quarter of 2023. That is a difference of 13 cases; the figures supplied do not state a percentage decline.
How many cyclist collisions were recorded in the latest quarter?
The figures record 45 cyclist collisions in Wales from April through June 2026. There were 78 in the same quarter of 2023, and no cyclist deaths were recorded in the 2026 quarter.
Did road casualties fall compared with last year?
Yes. Across all roads in Wales, the government figures show 20% fewer casualties and 19% fewer collisions in April–June 2026 than in April–June 2025.
Do the figures prove that the 20mph limit caused the decline?
No. They show fewer reported collisions and casualties in the periods compared, but a before-and-after comparison alone does not establish what caused the change. The Welsh government says it is continuing to evaluate the policy.
Source: road.cc
