I'm conflicted on this - as a resident in a fairly rural area, I get the need for people to slow down within the small towns and villages, but as someone that needs to travel extensively through those areas further slowing long journeys is an absolute ball-ache.
It is convenience vs safety to an extent, but the problem wasn't people complying with the old speed limits, it was people failing to do so. They're typically failing to comply with the new ones, too, but by lowering the limit they've lowered the overall speed. It's made people safer, and that's undoubtedly a good thing, but I can't help but feel that people who were driving safely before are being punished along with the rest by slower journey times.
O.