I Think We MUST Act ... Speed Limit Changes

[D-Rider]

Do we want our dual carriage ways reduced to 50mph zones?

No, thought not! ...... and I'm not scaremongering.


I know this is a long post but please read it through and if you agree please act!

I was blissfully unaware that there is a National Review of Speed Limits - until I spotted a minor article in the local paper the other day.

Just type "Speed Limit Review" into Google to see what I mean.

Across the country Councils are reviewing the speed limits on their A and B roads and, in Warwickshire, we have until 11th Feb to register our responses. If few or no objections are made, this will (presumably) go through on the nod. Presumably, other councils are on a similar timeframe.

Now let me give you an example - take the A444 from Cov to Nuneaton. Currently a 70mph dual carriageway. Perhaps the sort of road that you may consider to be suitable for a higher speed limit were they to be introduced. Well, no such luck - the proposal is 50mph.

Here is a link to the Warwickshire Council Website that contains links to explain the background and links to documents showing the proposed changes. http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/speedlimitreview
You will need to find the appropriate website for your council.

You may be surprised to find that in Warwickshire's review of appropriate limits there isn't a single stretch of road where the limit is proposed to be raised! (my guess is other places will be similar).
At a point in time when the safety built in to our vehicles is far greater than it has ever been, this beggars belief.

I would suggest that the proposals may contravene the government guidelines in some instances.
I've included some of the points that jump out but don't let them stop you from looking at the actual document.

Please realise that although this is a fairly comprehensive review it is also, in all probability, just the thin end of the wedge.

If you don't want draconian speed limits that will lengthen journey times and turn more ordinary people into law breakers, I think you must:
1) Register your objections to the Council
2) Publicise this as widely as possible to get others to do the same - numbers are vital.
3) Spread the word to other people across the country - this is a national thing and time is very short.

In Warwickshire the website for feedback is here http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/web/corp ... ire.gov.uk

Hopefully your council has something similar .... if not, snail mail may be called for.

Be polite, voice reasoned argument - don't give them a chance to dismiss us. Again, in Warwickshire's site, there is a tick box to say whether this is a complaint. I'm not sure but I bet that to be counted as on objection you may well have to say that it is a complaint.







As for the premise that reducing speeds will have a big impact on accidents, the DOT (or whatever they call themselves now) latest figures show that of motorcycle casualties, only 4% occurred where the motorcyclist was exceeding the speed limit and I believe I recently read that the stats show that excessive speed (irrespective of the limit) was only a contributory factor in 3% of bike accidents. Regrettably I don't know the figures for other vehicles.
A far more effective policy than changing limits would be proper policing that may be able to do something to recognise careless driving and driver distraction.

[Samray]

Blatent fund-raising.
I wondered where they would make up the shortfall since they started discouraging smoking and binge drinking.

[Samray]

The latest local info I found was 10 September 2007
http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:Cq ... m15pdf.pdf

6.0 Conclusions

6.2 The DfT document offers revised guidance on setting speed limits. The contents are not mandatory and should be considered in the round relative to the existing conditions in Norfolk.

6.1 Although press coverage has raised expectations of major changes and new approaches to setting local speed limits, Members will see from the previous comments that the new DfT guidance is not expected to lead to major changes to current County Council practice, defined by the current Norfolk Speed Management Strategy. This view was endorsed by Review Panel.

6.3 The new guidance emphasises the need for compliance and self enforcement for 20 mph speed limits. This will mean traffic calming in most cases, together will the same difficult judgements about effectiveness, environmental impact and cost. The implementation of unrealistic speed limits invariably results in non-compliance which, in turn, results in additional requests for costly police enforcement, traffic calming or speed management schemes. Such a ‘knock on’ effect cannot be sustained by a limited budget and the overall effect may be that fewer schemes will be implemented.

Recommendation

(i) That Cabinet approves the contents of the report.

(ii) That Cabinet approves the adoption of the proposed changes, as set in 2 of the report, for setting speed limits in Norfolk and revise current departmental practice to reflect this, and

(iii) that the review of speed limits on all Class A and B roads is undertaken by 2011.

[HowardQ]

I always thought you lot in the midlands were a bit backward.
They've being doing this in Yorks, Notts and Lincs for some time, started about 4 years ago.
Limits are coming down in all areas, I have not seen one that's gone up.
40 MPH down to 30
50 MPH down to 40
plus mainly 60/70 MPH down to 50 or lower.
The worst bit is dual carriageways as this is where they fit all the revenue devices.
Take the A631 out of Bawtry towards Market Rasen (Willingham Woods Bike Meet). It's a 60 limit until you get to the first D/Carriageway then you get a 50 with ASC Specs Cameras.
Go back to normal road again and its back to 60. Get to Gringley on the Hill D/Carriageway again and you get a 50 limit and ASC Specs.
Bit further down the road at next D/Carriageway into Gainsborough 50 limit again with regular mobiles, as soon you get back to single carriageway its 60 again.
No one can claim this is for safety, it's just revenue generation and even worse for cars, you get stuck behing a caravan or truck on the single carriageway bit, put your foot down to get past on the dual carriageway (Kerching), thankyou for your donation.
Even bettter, Lincs are now installing hidden cameras on all the main bike routes. Think I saw my first one on the A1133 between Newark and Gainsborough near to Girton on some very fast bends.
Came up behind a local in a Saxo hot hatch last Saturday, pulled out to look at overtaking and he started violently waving at me to slow down and then started pointing over the roof of the car to something on a pole in the field, (looked more like a hooded traffic camera but small and painted yellow, just next to the hedge in the field near a house on the left), as soon as we got past he speeded up again and waved me on.
Anybody else seen this one?

[Kwackerz]

I find cop watching keeps me more alert to what's going on.



Especially at 130.

Wholly agree with what's been said, UNLESS they link it to trunk routes such as the European motorways in UK having a speed increase as is common abroad.

I say this every single year without fail.. They should adopt the German speed limit system. Shit bust. It's bloody ace. 25mph on back roads, 40 on normal, anything that's main dual carriageway (A1) or motorway (M1) gets safety restricted where it needs it, no more no less. the rest? Nail it central.

Did I mention how much i like the German road system?

[Kwackerz]

i) That Cabinet approves the contents of the report.

(ii) That Cabinet approves the adoption of the proposed changes, as set in 2 of the report, for setting speed limits in Norfolk and revise current departmental practice to reflect this, and

(iii) that the review of speed limits on all Class A and B roads is undertaken by 2011.

That to me reads theyre considering it?.. my previous post content..?

[graham0071]

Part of one of the quotes reads, ' Traffic Authorities set local speed limits in situations where local needs and considerations deem it desirable for drivers to adopt a speed ...depending on local conditions(slight paraphrase)

I live in Bognor where the average age is about 103 yrs! No wonder they have reduced most local speed limits to 20mph!!

I Just harness my dog to the front of my Mille and shout "Mush"...Saves on Petrol..Not so good for street cred' Safe for Granny's though

[Gio]

What speed limits?

I only know of 2, 30 in towns and 40 in the suburbs, the rest is play time IMO.