The M4 Motorway (Junction 40 (Tai Bach) to Junction 42 (Earlswood), Neath Port Talbot) (50 mph Speed Limit) Regulations 2019

Made: 2 July 2019

Laid before the National Assembly for Wale: 3 July 2019

Coming into force: 24 July 2019

The Welsh Ministers, in exercise of the powers conferred on them by section 17(2), (3) and (3ZAA) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984[^f00001], and after consultation with such representative bodies as were thought fit in accordance with section 134(10) of that Act, make the following Regulations.

Title, commencement and interpretation

1

• (1) The title of these Regulations is the M4 Motorway (Junction 40 (Tai Bach) to Junction 42 (Earlswood), Neath Port Talbot) (50 mph Speed Limit) Regulations 2019 and they come into force on 24 July 2019.

• (2) In these Regulations, “the M4 motorway” means the M4 London to South Wales motorway.

Imposition of speed limit

2

No person may drive a motor vehicle at a speed exceeding 50 miles per hour in the lengths of the M4 motorway specified in the Schedule to these Regulations.

Revocation

3

The M4 Motorway (Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot) (50 Mph Speed Limit) Regulations 2004[^f00002]are revoked.

SCHEDULE — LENGTHS OF THE M4 MOTORWAY

The following lengths of the M4 motorway from Junction 40 (Tai Bach) to Junction 42 (Earlswood) in the County Borough of Neath Port Talbot—

• (a) the main carriageway from a point 3.5km south east of the central pier of the westbound exit slip road overbridge at Junction 41 (Pentyla) to a point 4.66km north west of the central pier of the westbound exit slip overbridge at Junction 41 (Pentyla);

• (b) the westbound and eastbound exit slip roads at Junction 40 (Tai Bach) from the junction with the main carriageway to the junction with the main circulatory carriageway of the A4107 Tai Bach roundabout;

• (c) the westbound and eastbound entry slip roads at Junction 40 (Tai Bach) from the junction with the main circulatory carriageway of the A4107 Tai Bach roundabout to the junction with the main carriageway;

• (d) the westbound entry slip road at Junction 41 (Pentyla) from its junction with the main carriageway of the A48 to its junction with the main westbound carriageway;

• (e) the westbound exit slip road at Junction 41 (Pentyla) from its junction with the main westbound carriageway for a distance of 783 metres in a north westerly direction;

• (f) the eastbound entry slip road at Junction 41 (Pentyla) from its junction with the main eastbound carriageway for a distance of 359 metres in a north westerly direction;

• (g) the westbound exit slip road at Junction 42 (Earlswood) from its junction with the main westbound carriageway for a distance of 266 metres in a south westerly direction; and

• (h) the eastbound entry slip road at Junction 42 (Earlswood) from its junction with the main eastbound carriageway for a distance of 235 metres in a north westerly then south easterly direction.

Signed

Ken Skates — Minister for Economy and Transport, one of the Welsh Ministers — 2 July 2019

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Welsh Ministers make these Regulations which impose a maximum speed limit of 50 miles per hour (instead of the general 70 miles per hour speed limit imposed on motorways by the Motorways Traffic (Speed Limit) Regulations 1974 (S.I. 1974/502)) on the lengths of the M4 motorway specified in the Schedule to these Regulations.

The M4 Motorway (Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot) (50 Mph Speed Limit) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/2179) (W. 208) are revoked by these Regulations. The M4 Motorway (Junction 41 (Pentyla) to Junction 42 (Earlswood), Neath Port Talbot) (Temporary 50 mph Speed Limit) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/746) (W. 144) which is in place at the above location will be revoked in a separate revocation order.

A full regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as these Regulations maintain the current 50 miles per hour limit for road safety reasons and extend the affected length to reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality. These Regulations have no impact on the costs of business.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 1984 c. 27. Section 17(2) was amended by the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (c. 22), Schedule 8, paragraph 28(3) and the Road Traffic Act 1991 (c. 40), Schedule 4, paragraph 25 and Schedule 8. Section 17(3ZAA) was inserted by the Wales Act 2017 (c. 4), section 26(2). Section 134(10) was inserted by the Wales Act 2017 (c. 4), Schedule 6, paragraph 43(3).

[^f00002]: S.I. 2004/2179 (W. 208).