Attempts to sack the Welsh minister responsible for the roll-out of 20mph speed limit fail

The Welsh Conservatives tabled a motion of no confidence in the Senedd against deputy climate change minister Lee Waters.

The motion focused on the record number of signatures on a petition opposing the new default limit, which has topped 440,000.

Natasha Asghar, Conservative shadow transport spokeswoman, said the 20mph limit had been "forced" on the Welsh people and opposition to it in two weeks had "exploded".

She said: "Deputy minister, I would say the public have well and truly had their say, but because you don't like the results and can't bring yourself to admit you made a mistake, you are trying to discredit the petition and stick your head back into the sand.

"You are pushing ahead with this flawed policy without a care in the world for businesses, emergency services, nurses, carers and motorists, who are all going to be affected by this move.

"This policy doesn't affect you in the slightest, as you are ferried around in a chauffeur-driven ministerial motor all day.

"You've banned all major road building in Wales in a desperate bid to get kudos from the likes of people like Greta Thunberg and let's not forget you are completely hypocritical.

"On the one hand, you're preaching to the public about getting out of their cars and on to public transport, yet you have claimed thousands of pounds in mileage expenses and submitted just three claims for rail tickets.

"On top of that, you're running our train network into the ground."

Labour and Plaid members criticised the Conservatives for making the issue personal.

Hefin David, who represents Caerphilly for Labour, said: "I'd actually like to pay credit to the Conservatives right now.

"They've achieved something that many have tried and many have failed: they've united two thirds of this chamber around Lee Waters.

"This deputy minister has stood up and been counted. I know that he's had a series of threats against him as well that's made him very uncomfortable.

"We have had some awful abuse, and I think the speech that Natasha Asghar made is just perpetuating that.

"It's making it worse, it's making us uncomfortable in our own homes, and bringing this motion about for a minister who has done nothing other than keep his promise."

Adam Price, Plaid's former leader, said the "political has become personal" and cited the death when he was a small boy of his cousin in a road traffic collision, aged five.

"In preparation for this debate I went on a personal pilgrimage yesterday to the spot where Malcolm died," he said.

"I saw the new 20mph sign 100 yards or so away and it had already been daubed with paint and I thought to myself, what have we become when this sincere, decent, principled attempt to save the lives of children and others is a catalyst for so much anger and hate?

"We need more of this honesty and courage in our politics. Not less. And we need to learn to disagree with civility and respect."

Mr Waters said he "recognised" the strength of feeling against the 20mph limits and said the Welsh Government would work with local authorities to "help get it right".

"This is the biggest change in the rules of the road since when seatbelts became compulsory in 1983," Mr Waters said.

"That too, was highly controversial and strongly resisted. Many people found it hard to adjust, but it became accepted and nobody has suggested we should go back.

"The evidence is very clear that 20mph saves lives and cuts casualties. Yes, there's opposition but there's plenty of support too.

"The data so far shows that the average delay to journeys is less than one minute as we expected to experience.

"I want to place on the record my thanks to everyone in Wales who's doing their bit to help make our communities safer.

"Speeds are already down and as a result we can expect to see fewer accidents, fewer casualties, fewer deaths, fewer tragedies.

"A little bit slower but a whole lot better."

Senedd members voted 42-16 against the Conservative motion.