A331 permanent 50mph speed limit introduced

A331 permanent 50mph speed limit introduced

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AlexRS2782

Original Poster:

8,023 posts

212 months

Thursday 16th July 2015
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As per the title, another NSL stretch of road appears to have gone. Went to Watchmoor Park Sainsbury today and noticed a permanent 50mph speed limit has been introduced on the A331 between the M3 & A30 roundabouts. I didn't even realise this was planned let alone being introduced confused

Having looked online it seems it was originally proposed for introduction back in early 2012 but was then put on hold indefinitely.

Since it was first proposed the reasoning seems to have gone from just the usual / expected lowering accident risk on that stretch of road to now also being essential to lower the pollution levels that are present along that stretch of the A331. The limit reduction is also being seen as a requirement to improve traffic flow and minimise traffic congestion at peak times.

I guess the reasoning for the thread is did anyone else see that stretch of the A331 as being an accident blackspot that warranted the reduction?

I must admit I do find it amusing that whenever a speed limit reduction appears to be required it always has some form of ties to being beneficial to lowering nearby pollution levels. Again I didn't realise that stretch of the A331 was a pollution blackspot.

I'm also not sure how the limit reduction is going to ease traffic congestion as in the rush hour you're lucky if the traffic is moving faster than a crawling pace on that section anyway.

Edited by AlexRS2782 on Thursday 16th July 20:15

davek_964

8,796 posts

174 months

Thursday 16th July 2015
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Yeah, noticed it last week.
Use that bit of road regularly and have done for years. Never seen any indication it was an accident blackspot.

It seems all speed limits are gradually being reduced.

PK42

250 posts

136 months

Thursday 16th July 2015
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I have never seen an accident along there and I use it daily.

Soon have a man with a flag in front of every car, worlds gone mad frown

Landshark

2,117 posts

180 months

Thursday 16th July 2015
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I noticed that a couple of weeks ago, surprised myself and my colleague as well. There are quite a few collisions along that stretch tied in with the traffic light controlled junctions I suppose I can understand it. Still don't like seeing yet more NSL disappear!!!

AlexRS2782

Original Poster:

8,023 posts

212 months

Thursday 16th July 2015
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Having a look online, the limit reduction also seems to also be tied to plans by SCC / EnterpriseM3 to introduce a permanent bus route (including seated stops & bus layby areas) along that stretch of the A331 with the idea that it should serve commuters for the various industrial units including Stanhope Road, Riverside Way, etc. Evidently commuters should be encouraged to commute there by bus, not car, thus reducing congestion at peak times.

Not sure how that congestion will be eased as aren't they planning the reconstruction of The Meadows roundabout for 2016 after the managed motorway is completed? That's going to be about as bad for congestion as the M3 is at Basingstoke with the current reconstruction work being done there at the moment.

Interestingly, it also appears Rushmoor Council are also currently considering the possible benefits of dropping from NSL to 50 on the A331 from the Aldershot junction to the A31 interchange, with the reasoning being to minimise accident risk and slowing vehicles well in advance of the A31 interchange. Again, is that a particular accident blackspot?

Edited by AlexRS2782 on Thursday 16th July 21:43

krisdelta

4,566 posts

200 months

Friday 17th July 2015
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That was an unpleasant surprise I (eventually) spotted last week, having already passed down from meadows end at the old limit and then returned later spotting the 50 signs. Was a lovely bit of road too when quiet.

Can understand it being a dicey speed if people aren't prepared to stop at the 2 traffic lighted junctions. Unusual not to see some "new speed limit" signs - but my own fault for not seeing them on the first run through smile

davek_964

8,796 posts

174 months

Friday 17th July 2015
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krisdelta said:
Unusual not to see some "new speed limit" signs - but my own fault for not seeing them on the first run through smile
On roads we use regularly, I doubt any of us look at the speed limit signs. I only noticed because just before the M3 roundabout I saw a NSL sign - which I knew hadn't been there before, and implied the limit I was in had changed. On the way back, I looked and saw 50mph signs.

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Saturday 18th July 2015
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I use that road at least once a week (last time on Wednesday) but I didn't notice - oops!

I like a quick blat up the A331 after I have just endured miles of 50 misery on the M3!

If it is a pollution blackspot the cause is probably having traffic lights to stop you as you come off the M3 operating 24 hours a day, and then setting the timings so that you also have to stop at the Sainsburys lights and the next set for the business park every time you use that piece of road - idiots!

Slightly off topic but it may affect some - local residents have had a letter from the Council to inform us that at the end of August up past the Meadows on the A3095 at the Rackstraws junction they plan to "refurbish" the traffic lights which seems to involve removing lanes and not permitting any right turns in any direction - apparently this will take 6 to 8 weeks!

FurtiveFreddy

8,577 posts

236 months

Saturday 18th July 2015
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Mr Tidy said:
Slightly off topic but it may affect some - local residents have had a letter from the Council to inform us that at the end of August up past the Meadows on the A3095 at the Rackstraws junction they plan to "refurbish" the traffic lights which seems to involve removing lanes and not permitting any right turns in any direction - apparently this will take 6 to 8 weeks!
Oh joy! Something to look forward to in August.

And I suppose we will now start seeing speed traps appear between The Meadows and M3 Junction.


FurryExocet

3,011 posts

180 months

Sunday 19th July 2015
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PK42 said:
I have never seen an accident along there and I use it daily.

Soon have a man with a flag in front of every car, worlds gone mad frown
There's been quite a few, mainly at the traffic light junctions. At least 1 fatal on the last few years, right at the business park junction (next to Sainsbury)
People hoon it along, the lights change and they chance it

CoolHands

18,496 posts

194 months

Sunday 19th July 2015
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fking s!

driving / riding is going to be st soon enough. Look at this regarding london arterial routes:

four locations TfL will be trialling average speed cameras along the TfL Road Network are:
A2 (between Black Prince and the Blackwall Tunnel)
A40 (between the Polish War Memorial and Paddington slip road)
A316 (between the M3 and Hogarth Roundabout)
A406 North Circular Road (between Hanger Lane and Bounds Green Road)

It will clearly spread all over the shaggin country. We're soon going to be fking pinned like butterflies to a board. Motherfkers. and then be driven about by google johnny cabs


DEANO87

832 posts

171 months

Sunday 19th July 2015
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Up until 4months ago I worked in Watchmoor Trade Centre for 6 years and I saw a few accidents on that stretch of road but every single one was due to someone jumping the traffic lights. Rather than dropping the speed limit red light cameras would be a better solution to reducing accidents.

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Monday 20th July 2015
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DEANO87 said:
Up until 4months ago I worked in Watchmoor Trade Centre for 6 years and I saw a few accidents on that stretch of road but every single one was due to someone jumping the traffic lights. Rather than dropping the speed limit red light cameras would be a better solution to reducing accidents.
Quite possibly, but last time I was doing 70 and the lights changed I had very little time to actually stop! A longer amber phase and slightly increased delay might help too.

Or just build a roundabout - everyone slows down so speed differentials are much lower so any accidents would be far less serious and at least when I use it late at night I don't have to sit and wait for non-existent traffic!

Mind you going by Bracknell Forest's latest exploits I wouldn't trust the fcensoreds not to put in lights as well - you only need one or the other FFS!

This is getting to be a fcensoredg miserable place to live! I have the misfortune to work in Bracknell and getting into or out of it in rush hour is a fcensoredg nightmare, and there isn't anything there anyway! No wonder most offices are empty and firms like BMW have left! Totally ccensoredp scensorede without any redeeming features! Highlight of my journey is when I get to Crowthorne and I know I have escaped!

davek_964

8,796 posts

174 months

Tuesday 21st July 2015
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DEANO87 said:
Up until 4months ago I worked in Watchmoor Trade Centre for 6 years and I saw a few accidents on that stretch of road but every single one was due to someone jumping the traffic lights. Rather than dropping the speed limit red light cameras would be a better solution to reducing accidents.
Yes, I have seen that myself several times - generally people coming out of that estate when their light has been red long enough that people on the main road have started moving.

Mr Tidy said:
...Or just build a roundabout - everyone slows down....
Not everyone it seems. Anybody else seen the car parked on the roundabout at the end of the A30 dual carriageway near Blackwater? Looks like he/she out-braked themselves over the weekend, went straight up onto the roundabout and crashed into the signs.

FurtiveFreddy

8,577 posts

236 months

Tuesday 21st July 2015
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Roundabouts cost a lot of money.

Reducing a NSL to 50 and then sending out a few scamera vans can generate money.

It's obvious why they choose the latter.

loose cannon

6,029 posts

240 months

Tuesday 21st July 2015
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Living not far from the a30 blackwater roundabout, over the last 20 odd years it's had hundreds of cars parked on top of it
Due to running out of brakes/ talent. before the roundabout was installed and Hawley hotel still existed it was the favourite
T bone junction

MX-5 Lazza

7,952 posts

218 months

Wednesday 22nd July 2015
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AlexRS2782

Original Poster:

8,023 posts

212 months

Thursday 23rd July 2015
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After this afternoon I can now sort of understand why the speed limit has been introduced - as annoying as it is when you used to enjoy accelerating off the final M3 roundabout and snicking up through the gears - although it appears it will still get ignored by the people that it's meant to deal with in the first place.

Heading in the direction of the M3 doing the speed limit, with the lights for straight ahead on green, a guy in a silver current shape M3, presumably back late from lunch / late for a meeting, decided to jump the lights on the opposite carriageway so that he could turn right into Riverside Way.

Had M3 guy been slower in jumping the lights, or made the decision to jump them a few seconds later than he did, he'd most likely have been hit full whack by a black Nissan GTR, that shot past me in the outside lane doing a good 80+ a couple of seconds later. I imagine that would have been a fairly nasty accident had the two made contact.

CoolHands

18,496 posts

194 months

Thursday 23rd July 2015
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but in your example the problem was not the speed limit it was the red light jumper. So why adjust the speed limit.

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Thursday 23rd July 2015
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Maybe they should have left the limit as it was, closed off the central reservation so no right turns in or out and make everyone go to the next roundabout and come back to turn left?

Be much better for me as I don't go into the estate or Sainsburys and only use the road off-peak!laugh