Fire service staff will stop speeding motorists in Wales ahead of a new speed limit which comes into force in September.

The country will become the first nation in the UK to introduce a default 20mph limit on restricted roads from 17 September.

The Welsh government has confirmed fire service staff will stop motorists exceeding 20mph limits and give them an opportunity to watch an “educational video” rather than face prosecution.

However, the videos are only offered to drivers who do not drive “excessively over” the speed limit.

The Welsh Conservatives, the largest opposition party in the Senedd, have called it a “madcap” policy.

The new default limit has already been trialled in some parts of .

As well as the fire service, the government’s awareness campaign will involve the police, local authorities, community groups and Go Safe – Wales’ road casualty reduction partnership.

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South Wales Fire and Rescue Service group manager Richie Smart said the service was “pleased” to support the rollout.

“Our firefighters see the devastating impacts that road traffic collisions, including those in built up areas where people and vehicles mix closely, can have,” he said.

“We are therefore pleased to support our partners to raise awareness of the importance of speed limits to keep everyone safe.”

Superintendent Leanne Brustad, from Gwent Police, said “engagement, education, and enforcement plays a huge part”.

“We will continue to work closely with our partners to educate drivers as much as possible as the new speed limit comes into force and help deliver all of the benefits of this policy,” she added.

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The Welsh Conservatives’ shadow transport minister, Natasha Asghar, said the move was “spreading a stretched public service even thinner”.

“The priorities of our fire service should not include catching motorists speeding,” she said.

“The Labour government are showing that this foolish policy is not about safety or the environment, as they have claimed, but using public services to catch out motorists and collect money in fines.”

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