Invisible workers on the M60

Invisible workers on the M60

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cliffe_mafia

Original Poster:

1,634 posts

238 months

Friday 12th September 2014
quotequote all
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greate...

Is anyone else suffering this everyday? 17 miles of cones and the only workmen you see are putting out more cones. It's been like this for 3 months with zero sign of any progress. Why can they not work on a mile stretch at a time?

Ah well it'll be finished by 2017 when we'll be subjected to inane speed restrictions for no reason enforced by cameras.

wozzza

404 posts

131 months

Saturday 13th September 2014
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Didn't realise this was supposed to take that long. I live around Prestwich / Whitefield so it covers my junctions. Yet to see a single worker.

Then again there are signs for speed cameras and I am yet to see one of those either. So everyone who has covered it a few times is just ignoring the 50mph limit around here. No reason for it at all.

What I can actually see this "Smart" network doing is purely issuing speeding tickets as most of the time if you do 70 you were the slowest thing on there.

Edited by wozzza on Saturday 13th September 00:21

FraMac

785 posts

217 months

Saturday 13th September 2014
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If the new smart thing is like the cameras on the west side of the M25 on the gantries, the cameras only go active when the speed limit is reduced on the gantries.

So, no reduced limit, no cameras in operation.

Chops45

60 posts

205 months

Sunday 14th September 2014
quotequote all

Aren't they going to turn the hard shoulder into an extra lane for use when the traffic is heavy? As around Birmingham.

Smart motorway means that the overhead gantries will say that the speed limit is now 40 mph when in fact the traffic is bumper to bumper and you will be lucky if you can do 5mph.

twincamtim

18 posts

126 months

Monday 15th September 2014
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Just been on the Stretford section and average speed cameras are up (not clear if they are working).

As for the speed restriction, at 50mph it will take about 5 mins longer to do the 17 mile section previously mentioned: not exactly a long time - chill out. There's no way I would want to work on a motorway with cars passing me at 50 let alone 70.


glenrobbo

35,246 posts

150 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
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twincamtim said:
As for the speed restriction, at 50mph it will take about 5 mins longer to do the 17 mile section previously mentioned: not exactly a long time - chill out. There's no way I would want to work on a motorway with cars passing me at 50 let alone 70.
Ah, perhaps that's why there are never any workmen to be seen.......

They just can't get anyone to do the job?

wozzza

404 posts

131 months

Thursday 18th September 2014
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Just noticed cameras have gone up around Prestwich / Whitefield.

Rather sneakily placed as well, I know they are average speed cameras. But a couple of them are places directly behind signs etc so completely hidden until right on top of them.

At the moment though, seems you can barely do more than about 40mph up there at any time of the day now.

cliffe_mafia

Original Poster:

1,634 posts

238 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
Work is progressing - they now have a sprinkling of blue cones and green cones amongst the regular ones!

cliffe_mafia

Original Poster:

1,634 posts

238 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
wozzza said:
Just noticed cameras have gone up around Prestwich / Whitefield.

Rather sneakily placed as well, I know they are average speed cameras. But a couple of them are places directly behind signs etc so completely hidden until right on top of them.

At the moment though, seems you can barely do more than about 40mph up there at any time of the day now.
I have to go passed the camera at Swinton and then there's another at Carrington. It's a pain not being able to put my foot down even though my real average is probably about 12mph because of traffic.

400SE Dave

1,296 posts

171 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
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I think it is interesting that the limit is for the full length of the so called 'upgrade' to a smart motorway and smart motorways are in place to ease traffic congestion. As the 50 limit has been in place for a while now as is supported by cameras has anyone seen a reduction in the queues?? I haven't!!!!

Not sure who really considers smart motorways as an upgrade???


anonymous-user

54 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
cliffe_mafia said:
Work is progressing - they now have a sprinkling of blue cones and green cones amongst the regular ones!
Well at least by that comment it seems you are fully up to speed what the different coloured cones mean smile

wozzza

404 posts

131 months

Saturday 4th October 2014
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It's just a way for them to "accidentally" leave the signs on when it's clear and get more revenue.

I've been around Leeds where they have them when the motorway was completely dead. I was one of about 4 cars on the thing. 50mph limit in place at 3am.

Yeah great, because we all want to go slower when it's utterly dead and trying to get home late in the morning.

Zippyworld

796 posts

184 months

Monday 6th October 2014
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Are the cameras active for sure ?
Does there not have to be a camera warning sign somewhere.
I have not seen an Average Speed Camera sign anywhere.
Maybe because someone told me that if you went through at 120 mph and above they dont pick you up, obviously at this speed I may have missed the sign.....

Seriously my questions remain

wozzza

404 posts

131 months

Monday 6th October 2014
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There are signs around Prestwich / Whitefeld. Heading towards Leeds way and Trafford centre.

Cameras are as said previously, quite well hidden behind other signs etc. Literally one you only notice it about 20 feet from it. It is hidden until then.

Paul O

2,720 posts

183 months

Monday 6th October 2014
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Smart motorway was put onto the M62 a few years ago and has totally transformed it. I was hugely sceptical but it has actually worked.

In a nutshell, it has slowed traffic in danger points where traffic suddently slows, through use of camera controlled speed limits, and has move the slow lorries and entry/exit queues onto the hard shoulder.

I don't understand the mechanics of it, but its worked. Can't wait to see it finished on the M60 as that stretch of road is absolutely hateful.

I don't understand why they need to cone off so much though. They did 20 miles on the M62 for 2-3 years. Thats 40 miles of road. 40 fekking miles - you'd need a cast of thousands to justify that, not a sprinkling of part time occasional staff! I put that question to the guy who runs this whole operation via a local radio show, but he just dodged the question. I'm sure its financially motivated - cheaper to cone the whole bit than do it in stints perhaps.

re: Cameras, there are a few speed cameras on there now and when the whole thing is built, if the M62 is anything to go by, they are STILL operational even when the speed limits are switched off.

http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news...

Edited by Paul O on Monday 6th October 21:56


Edited by Paul O on Monday 6th October 21:59

Zippyworld

796 posts

184 months

Thursday 9th October 2014
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This is intersting now, when the SMART motorway was introduced on the M4, I regularly used it and I recall asking someone of importance in the HA directly "when the speed limit displays on the gantries are turned off are cameras still working ?" He was definitive in the answer No.
It is apparent that as drivers we can ask the question and they are obliged to tell us the truth, same principle as putting the average speed camera signs up I suppose.

tsinc

403 posts

152 months

Thursday 9th October 2014
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The variable speed limit cameras on the M62 towards Leeds flash even when there is no speed limit being displayed. I drove through them about 4 weeks ago and I kept seeing flashes from the other side of the road.

No idea if those people got tickets, and I couldn't see if I was getting flashed going through them on my side. I don't trust them at all!

anonymous-user

54 months

Thursday 9th October 2014
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tsinc said:
I don't trust them at all!
Who ? driver's not sticking to speed limits smile

tsinc

403 posts

152 months

Thursday 9th October 2014
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speedyguy said:
Who ? driver's not sticking to speed limits smile
Ironic coming from your username smile