After three long months of lockdown, of staying local, of not seeing family and friends; today the Welsh Government are loosening more of the restrictions imposed on our movement. Today, the requirement to stay local and to only travel within a five mile radius, unless for compassionate grounds, will come to an end and people will be able to travel freely across Wales. But with the lifting of further travel restriction comes a higher risk on our roads as the traffic volume will increase.

During the early days of the lockdown we saw a reduction of over 70% in the volume of traffic on the road networks of Wales. Unfortunately, we saw an increase in the level of speed those breaking the speed limits were recorded travelling at. Speed is one of the main causes of collisions, and GoSafe have been out enforcing the speed limits in key locations throughout the lockdown. As travel restrictions have been slowly eased and lifted, the volume of traffic on our roads has been increasing and we foresee a further increase from today, with more people travelling further afield to visit family, friends and tourist attractions.

The world we now live in has changed dramatically from the world we knew three months ago. Social distancing, queuing for the shop and wearing a face covering when in public places has become the new normal. But, the speed limits and the road traffic laws have remained the same throughout.

• The 40mph speed limit sign you saw in March is the same sign you will see in July, with the same penalties for breaking them. 

• The requirement to wear a seatbelt remains in place. This 3 second task at the start of every journey can save your life. 

• The ban on using a mobile phone when behind the wheel of a vehicle remains in place. No call or text is more important than your, your passengers or other road users’ lives.

Cyclists and pedestrians are much more common sights on our roads and pavements since lockdown began. Be aware of these vulnerable road users, give them the space they need when you overtake, and be cautious around pedestrian crossings.

We are all playing our part in the fight against Covid-19 and we all have a part to play to keep our roads safe for all road users. As the First Minister, Mark Drakeford said in a press briefing last week:

“…we all need to continue to take steps to protect ourselves from the virus – that means working from home wherever possible; avoiding unnecessary travel; only meeting with one other household outdoors; maintaining social distancing and washing your hands often… It is thanks to the efforts of everyone in Wales that we have slowed the spread of coronavirus but we can’t stop now. We need to do all we can to protect ourselves and our loved ones from the virus and to keep Wales safe. ”