Monday 10th March 2008

Specs Road Has Limit Reduced

'World's most dangerous road' has limit slashed after 32-mile average zone introduced

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The speed limit on the so-called ‘world’s most dangerous road’ has been reduced from 70mph to 50mph.

Motorists are being warned that reduced speed limit on a stretch of Ayrshire road notorious for accidents has come into effect.

In 2005 the A77 was given the UK’s longest continuous average speed camera zone on a 32-mile stretch between Ayr and Girvan.

Last year a US study named it as one of the most dangerous in the world after 30 people were killed in road crashes between 1996 and 2005.

Campaigners have been pushing for a reduction in the speed limit and have been emailing local businesses and running adverts on local radio stations.

Ch Insp Jim Igoe, area commander for road policing, said: ‘The reduction in speed limit has been introduced for the safety of all road users on that section of the A77.

‘It is most important that drivers take notice of the change and make a conscious effort to stay within the new limit.’

[Dr Imran T]

I wonder how many campaingers expressed their concerns to bring about this reduction in the speed limit??
It seems these days that 'just' a few complaints is all it takes for the police to make major changes.

[Kaufman]

Just checked this out on google earth and it looks like a normal A road with long overtaking streches. Any locals know what makes it so dangerous?

[EU_Foreigner]

what are the statistics for the period after 2005?

[shoestring7]

Hmm, so what happens if 3 people a year continue to be killed? Has detailed analysis of the accidents proved that speed in excess of 50mph was a major contributory factor?

SS7

[MoleVision]

I find it hard enough to cencentrate on doing 50 on the motorway under these average speed cameras... i would have thought it be even harder on smaller roads, especially one with lots of side turnings such as this one.

[ja9ae]

shoestring7 said:

Has detailed analysis of the accidents proved that speed in excess of 50mph was a major contributory factor?

I doubt it.

[dejavu]

as someone who uses this road (which i have now named "the puppy-stomper" (widowmaker probably already being in use)) on a semi regular basis i say "boooooo!" i can only imagine the frustration of having to use it everyday now that in some sections you are losing 20mphs

7 miles (of 32) was 70mph
the rest, 25 miles, was 60mph
(correct me if im wrong)

so average start to finish was
6 mins + 25 mins = 31 mins in ideal conditions
amended figures for all
32 miles @ 50 = 38.4 mins in ideal conditions
differnce = + 7.4 minutes

if you have a history or being late then today "you're fired"

on the plus side at least lorries with limiters won't be creating their usual black whole effect on the surrounding traffic

safety campaign or witch hunt, you decide
p.s. most my post is lighthearted so flaming should be kept to a minimum (still pissed off though)

[EU_Foreigner]

Only driven that road once, and my word is that a nice road to put your foot down. Having struggled for hours on the minor roads that surround it, you get on this nice wide open road on which you then must drive slower then on the tiny roads you just came from !!

[beasto]

Can't say I necessarily approve or disapprove of this particular slowdown, but bearing in mind you WILL get stomped on, I reckon it's time that speed-limiters became a standard feature in cars.

Problem is (for example, on sections of the M4) that you are so busy checking your speed that you are unable to concentrate on the matter in hand, which is – or should be – driving a tonne or more of moving metal.

I think we've probably lost the battle with the "safety" lobby, sad to say.

It's such a pity that Paul Smith of SafeSpeed is no longer with us.

[jeffstelling]

new routine

1) get up for work
2) remove front number plate
3) drive to work at 70

[spaximus]

And of course it is much cheaper and profitable to fit cameras than to sort out the road. If it is such a dangerous place then are the goverment failing in their duty of car? Perhaps the time to hospital in accidents are part to blame but as always the easy option is to slow everything down.

[jackwoodhead]

I thought we got away from someone walking in front waving flag to warn of a oncoming car.

[Cliffv8]

I've been along a bit of this road, as a mate was got wed in Alloway and god forbid you should take your eyes off your speed'o and look at the road with these average speed cameras, they can't be safe I know i didn't feel that i was paying as much attention to what was going on around as usual

Edited by Cliffv8 on Monday 10th March 14:19

[alphadog]

ja9ae said:

shoestring7 said:

Has detailed analysis of the accidents proved that speed in excess of 50mph was a major contributory factor?

I doubt it.

I asked exactly the same question of Derbyshire with one of their daft 50 limit reductions and statistics like that were 'hard to come by'. Compare this with DfT and hospital stats that cite 'excess speed' as a minor cause of accidents (7ish %?) whereas 'inattentive driving' was by far the greatest.

What do you think being forced to drive a long distance at a boringly slow speed will do for the average driver's concentration.

Utter incompetence, once again!!

[fluffyducky]

Thats not the worlds most dangerous road... this is: http://www.gravitybolivia.com/gallery/Photohighlig...

I need to go!

Speed cameras just make me concentrate on my speed, rather than what's going on around me. Bloody muppets.

[gmackay2]

the big problem with this road was that it used to be 4 lanes with no barrier in between them and people were generally driving 70+ so when people hit each other it tended to be fatal! Now the road has been upgraded and straightened with a central reservation so really the average speed cameras are now a money maker! There is however a back road that cuts out a lot of the speed camera section and its lots of fun and has no cameras!!! so if your going down that way or indeed coming up to glasgow from ayr look at the map (or sat nav) and look for the road that peels of to the right near ayr.

[toohuge]

I guess we have found were the worlds worst drivers reside.

[Vipers]

I know we all have a moan at these limits, but what do you do when driving down a 30, 40, or 50 mph road, is it difficult then to stick to the limits?.


I have to say, this is when I find the cruise control is a godsend, wouldnt be with out it.

[aeu99184]

I use this road a lot and have had traffic cops and normal police tell me that out of the 20 pairs of cameras only two stretches actually monitor your average speed...


from the start of the cameras at bogend toll until you get to whitletts rounabout at the outskirts of ayr there are two roundabouts. How do they go about measuring your speed at negotiating a roundabout?

the stretch that they are talking about is the turn off to a small village called symington and you have to cross both lanes. Cars are going to be doing 75 mph max (to stay within the 70 limit) so its not as if people doing silly speeds are t-boning the turning cars. its the usual problem of bad driving and decision making. there was a recent accident involving a traffic car and a civilian car and there were quite a few people killed...

if they are really that bothered then they should have put in a roundabout like at bogend toll...

my old boss raced a 911 turbo in his r34 skyline pretty soon after the cameras were installed. he was crapping himself because he had been doing 120mph +

nothing ever came through the post for it...

when it was the 70 limit i always just sat at just below 80 on my speedo and have never had anything through at all.


i dont see how it is the most dangerous road in the world tho its like any other dual carriage way...

[bencollins]

i am purely guessing that most road deaths occur due to either;
a) falling asleep
b) drunk driving
c) poor overtaking
d) reckless driving
This measure is likely to reduce or eliminate c & d but increase a.
I enjoy overtaking, but am amazed by the dodgy chances people take with this.
See gloucester news what happens when cars collide with a closing speed excess of 100mph. 30mph is pretty drastic though, couldnt they start with 50 or 40?