Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Confusing speed limits

So, plodding up the M1 today and got this mixed message, one or two clever clogs sped past at 60+10%, but I was not chancing it, as I always thought the temporary yellow gantry average 50 cameras for the road works were not linked to the permanent system

I would go with the 50mph as there are cameras!

Nah, SWMBO says 55mph and keep the vid

I'm in north Wales at the moment, here you have 20, 30, 40, 50 limit signs come up within yards of each other. Because of the heavy policing you have drivers happy to do 70 on the de-restricted sections dramatically braking to 17 in a 20 mph village zone

Welcome to my world. The 6 mile drive to the supermarket involves 22 changes of speed limit, the daftest of which goes from 40 to 50 to 20 in under 200m. Guess where the speed plods wait?

I learned that the villages wanting to opt out of the 20mph scheme were required to pay the Welsh government for the privilege of keeping existing 30mph signage. Needless to say in many cases they couldn't afford this blackmail!

The 20 limit "default" as imposed by the Sennedd had,apparently, an option for each council to choose where to leave it at 30. I am not aware of a cost to do so just £32M to implement nationwide. There are clear discrepancies in how each council applied it. Ours in Carmarthenshire seem to have opted for very few exeptions compared to neighbouring council areas.
Another phzzle is fixed speed cameras. Large numbers were removed prior to the 20 zoning. Newer type ones were left in place so far fewer now than before. Probably the removed ones were unable to be accurate at 20?
The Sennedd has now put it back into the hands of councils to survey for opinions ( they ignored the initial survey pre implementation one). A cop- out to push blame elsewhere?
Carms have asked if we want to pick a single road location to revert to pre 20. A loaded survey if ever there was one!
Local councillors seem against changes and quote stats of " fewer accidents" . No source of data and accuracy. The original justification was to reduce deaths. Again loaded comments with a seemingly Eutopian target of zero and ignoring the overall negative effects. Congestion is increased in most areas due to the concentrating effect on traffic entering a 20 zone. No mention of air quality changes, increased journey times. New rat run routes created as locals change routes.
Local transport is a joke, even in larger towns where it might make sense.
Ideology at it's extreme.

I recall that the Sennedd backtracked on the blanket 20mph ... but put the onus on Local Councils to decide on any changes... with the rider that they'd be responsible for the considerable cost of reversing the signage (the word was the old signs had been flogged to English Councils!) ... disposing of the old signs and dropping changes onto cash strapped LG were 'spoiling tactics' ... Councils don't have the cash, and if, ten years down the line a kid is run over the Councillors upping the limit would be in the papers being called murderers by irrationally grieving parents (not a good look for re-election) ...the Sennedd decided they wanted to make a statement and when it played so disasterously with the voters have dropped the responsibility onto LG in a way that ensures that things will largely stay as they are but shifts the blame off them ... a massive and smug 2 fingers to the electorate.

K

Ps ... like you, I'd be interested to see properly gathered statistics regarding the 'improved safety' ... so far I've only heard politicians using generic data-less assumptions that 'less speed equals less deaths' to divert annoyed voters

A quick whip around the locals would probably fund the 30mph signs in very short order. Better still catch up with the rest of the world and put in 50 kph signs. You know it makes sense