MOTORISTS have been left confused by two different speed limits on display at the entrance to a Monmouthshire village.

Blundering council chiefs have installed 20mph signs at Llanvihangel Crucorney, near Abergavenny, as part of the Welsh Government’s new pan-Wales default speed limit–but left 30mph markings on the road.

Their failure to remove the faster limit has been branded “farcical” by local MP David Davies, who said drivers turning off the A465 into the village were “totally baffled”.

“The evidence is mounting against Labour’s calamitous 20mph speed limit roll-out and this is another classic example,” said Mr Davies.

“Drivers turning off the A465, which has a 50mph limit along that stretch, are immediately greeted by a 30mph sign painted on the road just metres away from a 20mph sign.

“No wonder drivers are confused, angry and disillusioned. You couldn’t make it up and inconsistent signage is only serving to undermine the disastrous 20mph policy even further.”

Mr Davies was alerted to the signing mix-up by Llanvihangel Crucorney resident and retired police road traffic officer Ian Tremlett.

He served for 30 years enforcing speed limits, providing education to offenders and instructing police officers to drive in operational emergency response mode for all classes of vehicle used on UK roads.

“Sad to say with all that experience, I get confused as to what the speed limit it,” said Mr Tremlett.

“The signage is still farcical some five months after the 20mph law was introduced. The signs on the post as you enter at each end of the village show 20mph, yet painted on the road surface is the figure 30.

“This means the signage is illegal, does not comply with chapter 8 of the UK Government’s traffic signs manual and cannot be enforced.”

Mr Tremlett also highlighted other locations in the Abergavenny area with “poor and confusing signage”, including the unclassified roads from Pantygelli into Abergavenny and the Old Hereford Road in Mardy.

He said: “Sooner or later, somebody is going to be killed because of the total confusion and incorrect signage for these speed limits. What is worse is nobody will take responsibly for getting the signage corrected. I have done my best to get this matter resolved with no success at all.”

The Welsh Labour Government pressed ahead with reducing the default speed limit from 30mph to 20mph in residential and built-up areas – which came into force across Wales on 17 September 2023–despite its own impact assessment warning it could cost £4.5bn to the economy.

“It goes to show this whole process was rushed through without any proper thought or consideration and five months down the line, ministers in Cardiff Bay still haven’t been able to come up with a coherent set of speed limits,” added Mr Davies.

The MP said he would be writing to highways at Monmouthshire County Council about the signs at Llanvihangel Crucorney.