Ready For 20mph - Welsh Government

What services we used

“We are passionate about using the power of behavioural science to improve lives, wherever we can.”

The brief

On 17 September 2023, Wales became the first country in the UK to bring into force legislation to reduce the national default speed limit from 30mph to 20mph, making this one of the most complex behavioural change policies in the history of the Senedd.

We created a behaviourally-informed integrated national campaign, as well as providing misinformation monitoring and strategy services to the Welsh Government, to build resilience within target audiences and safeguard implementation of the policy.

The Approach

The campaign was delivered bilingually in English and Welsh and activation included:

Mass media: Hero film (TVC), radio adverts aligned with three phases of campaign delivery across TV, VOD, radio, and DAX.
National doordrop: Printed bilingual informational leaflet delivered to every household in Wales, also available digitally in 13 of the most common spoken languages in Wales, BSL and easy read.
Social media: Static assets, GIFs, animation, social cuts of hero film, infographics, and alternative text for paid and organic use on owned channels and partner network
Out of home: Billboards, bus streetliners, petrol pump covers etc at key locations across Wales.
Hyperlocal: Advertorials in regional press and community newsletters, as well as production of vox pop films with residents within Welsh communities. Editorial coverage secured in hyperlocal media through Local Authority press notices.

Measurement, evaluation and impact

By January 2024, we had achieved:

5.6 million cumulative reach generated and 73.9 million impressions delivered (+422% of KPI)
3.12% engagement rate (1+04% of KPI)
118,449 unique link clicks (+270.7% of KPI)
1,062,408 views through VOD (+531.2% of KPI)
293,750 listens via Spotify & 329,310 listens via DAX radio (+103.8% of KPI)

So what?

A YouGov poll found that awareness of the policy had increased to 97% (+66% increase from September 2022)
An Agilysis report concluded that within the first week of policy implementation, weighted average mean speeds had reduced by 2.9mph (sample: 25m+ vehicle journeys)
A GoSafe study found 97% of drivers complying with the new slower speed limit (sample: 9,775 vehicles)
In June 2024, Transport for Wales (TfW) data monitoring 3.5m vehicles showed that more than half motorists had cut their speed (57.8% stayed below 24mph, compared to less than 20% driving under 24mph at the same monitored sites pre-policy launch). Insurers esure also found a 20% reduction in vehicle damage claims in Wales since policy launch, and new road collision data (Oct-Dec 2023) found that casualties have reduced on roads by 32% since the introduction of the policy – the lowest on record.

The Behavioural Science

Behaviour Change Wheel
Identifying behaviours, and analysing barriers to action using COM-B and TDF frameworks
Behaviour Change Technique Taxonomy
Theory and Techniques Tool
Our research found prioritising positive messages over negative ones, emphasising safety to individuals and their communities
Prompting positive beliefs about the consequences of 20mph implementation