Yet another ridiculous Oxfordshire speed limit.
Discussion
The numpties of Oxfordshire County Council are plotting to reduce the NSL on the A415 from Witney to the A420 at Kingston Bagpuize to 50 mph - apart from the 30 mph stretch through Standlake (which was 40 mph until recently....) No doubt they'll trot out the usual fatuous reasons after a single road accident which probably wasn't caused by speed in any case.
I'm getting utterly bloody fed up with the stupid limits being enforced by Geoff Barrell's department; scarcely a day goes by and there's another rash of 'mummy knows best' speed limits on perfectly good country roads - with their ugly rash of repeater signs.
The notice in the local paper advises readers that they are welcome to ring Barrell to 'discuss any aspect of the proposal' on 01865 810450. I think that I may well take up the offer......
What is particularly galling is that they're trying to sneak this in whilst the A415 is closed at Standlake, no doubt hoping that no-one will notice until the road is re-opened.
Objections have to be lodged by 10 Jan 2005. Mine certainly will be!
I'm getting utterly bloody fed up with the stupid limits being enforced by Geoff Barrell's department; scarcely a day goes by and there's another rash of 'mummy knows best' speed limits on perfectly good country roads - with their ugly rash of repeater signs.
The notice in the local paper advises readers that they are welcome to ring Barrell to 'discuss any aspect of the proposal' on 01865 810450. I think that I may well take up the offer......
What is particularly galling is that they're trying to sneak this in whilst the A415 is closed at Standlake, no doubt hoping that no-one will notice until the road is re-opened.
Objections have to be lodged by 10 Jan 2005. Mine certainly will be!
This sounds like more limit lowering 'by stealth'.
There was a plan to lower various roads in the county from NSL to 50 en masse - and when a lot of people objected (me included), the county briefly backed down.
Instead they set up a Speed Management Task Force, with councillors, engineers and the local police. Initially, I was invited onto the Task Force, but at the request of the police my invitation was later rescinded.
I wonder if there are plans to get the limits through anyway, piecemeal.
If anyone wants a copy of my original objection, please let me know on e-mail. I'll see if I can find out more.
There was a plan to lower various roads in the county from NSL to 50 en masse - and when a lot of people objected (me included), the county briefly backed down.
Instead they set up a Speed Management Task Force, with councillors, engineers and the local police. Initially, I was invited onto the Task Force, but at the request of the police my invitation was later rescinded.
I wonder if there are plans to get the limits through anyway, piecemeal.
If anyone wants a copy of my original objection, please let me know on e-mail. I'll see if I can find out more.
Just had this confirmed by OCC - they do indeed plan to lower this limit.
It's not malicious, car-hating or anything else. They genuinely believe it'll save lives - the guys in Highways are a good lot, they really are, but I disagree so, so fundamentally with what they're doing here. On some other roads in the county that have been lowered, deaths have risen, not fallen.
This road is the main commuter run from Witney to Abingdon - a big area for jobs locally because of several large business parks. This new limit will simply add to the confusion about limits in the county, further decrease respect for sensible limits, add massively to tailgating for drivers who stick to it and, I suspect, increase head-ons from frustration overtakes.
I'll be opposing this one too.
MMC
It's not malicious, car-hating or anything else. They genuinely believe it'll save lives - the guys in Highways are a good lot, they really are, but I disagree so, so fundamentally with what they're doing here. On some other roads in the county that have been lowered, deaths have risen, not fallen.
This road is the main commuter run from Witney to Abingdon - a big area for jobs locally because of several large business parks. This new limit will simply add to the confusion about limits in the county, further decrease respect for sensible limits, add massively to tailgating for drivers who stick to it and, I suspect, increase head-ons from frustration overtakes.
I'll be opposing this one too.
MMC
MMC said:
Just had this confirmed by OCC - they do indeed plan to lower this limit.
It's not malicious, car-hating or anything else. They genuinely believe it'll save lives - the guys in Highways are a good lot, they really are, but I disagree so,... On some other roads in the county that have been lowered, deaths have risen, not fallen. MMC
I wouldn't call them "good lot". You say they believe they'll save lives...but deaths have risen where limits have been lowered... What the FFffff.
At the very least, I'd call them barking mad, almost criminal in their utter stupidity.
AJLintern said:
They should keep the NSL and put on a weight limit to stop trucks using the route as a short cut to the A34. Seems rediculous having such heavy vehicles going over Newbridge, I think one of the oldest bridge over the River Thames, dating from about 1250!
Says a lot for thirteenth century bridge design though!
Well, I had a good long telecon with Barrel this morning. He did at least listen to the view that, just to protect a couple of accident spots, a 50 mph limit wasn't needed on the whole road. I conceded that the stretches from Cokethorpe Park to the Yelford crossroad junction (soon to be light controlled) and from the southern end of Standlake to Newbridge might merit a reduced speed limit - but no more. That's a total of 1.6 miles as opposed to 5.2!
The stupid nanny parish council 30 limits result from the huggy-fluffy attitude of letting such toSSeurs decide their own limits - they are known as 'Turkey thirty' limits. Hopefully many will be $hit-canned when commonsense returns...
And yes, a 7.5t limit on Newbridge would be an excellent idea!
The stupid nanny parish council 30 limits result from the huggy-fluffy attitude of letting such toSSeurs decide their own limits - they are known as 'Turkey thirty' limits. Hopefully many will be $hit-canned when commonsense returns...
And yes, a 7.5t limit on Newbridge would be an excellent idea!
Just like everywhere else in Oxfordshire where they've reduced speed limits unnecessarily - they'll be ignored...
I know of sites where there have been regular accidents which according to our local BIB were caused by the people driving being drunk/stoned, but rather than tackle the issue the CC petition to reduce the speed limit.. so they will still be stoned/drunk but just be travelling that little bit slower..
I know of sites where there have been regular accidents which according to our local BIB were caused by the people driving being drunk/stoned, but rather than tackle the issue the CC petition to reduce the speed limit.. so they will still be stoned/drunk but just be travelling that little bit slower..
phatgixer said:Went along that stretch today and they have extended it all the way through Clifton Hampden and up to the railway bridge at Culham!
I understand the police are not enforcing the ludicrous 30 mph limit on the A415 through Burcot (used to be a 60).
These lowered limits are just plain daft.
Completely rediculous and counter productive!50mph muzzle for killer road shriek the headlines in this week's Witney Gazette in an emotional load of rubbish penned by Andrew Alexander. The road has seen ONE fatal accident in the last 12 months....
Geoff Barrell, the county's principal engineer, is quoted as saying that 50 mph speed limits were used when no specific reasons for such high accident rates could be identified. I guess that's "We don't know why, so we're going to lower the speed limit" Marvellous.
Fair enough to lower the limit on 2 short sections which require more than average concentration, but certainly not the whole road! The lowered limit was suggested by District Councillor Harriet Ryley after the ONE fatal accident last September.
PLEASE MAKE YOUR VIEWS KNOWN BY CONTACTING OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE AND THE NUMPTIES GET THEIR WAY!!
>> Edited by nickwilcock on Friday 17th December 09:00
Geoff Barrell, the county's principal engineer, is quoted as saying that 50 mph speed limits were used when no specific reasons for such high accident rates could be identified. I guess that's "We don't know why, so we're going to lower the speed limit" Marvellous.
Fair enough to lower the limit on 2 short sections which require more than average concentration, but certainly not the whole road! The lowered limit was suggested by District Councillor Harriet Ryley after the ONE fatal accident last September.
PLEASE MAKE YOUR VIEWS KNOWN BY CONTACTING OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE AND THE NUMPTIES GET THEIR WAY!!
>> Edited by nickwilcock on Friday 17th December 09:00
Suffolk council lowere the A140 limit to 50 early this year, all the existing 50's went to 40 and the 40's went to 30.
it is now way more dangerous than it ever was. people overtake in places where speed traps are unlikely to be, ie corners and blind crests with corners on the other side or the villages where there is nowhere to park a van, as opposed to the nice safe long straight bits where it used to happen.
it seems like the number of accidents has increased as well.
it is now way more dangerous than it ever was. people overtake in places where speed traps are unlikely to be, ie corners and blind crests with corners on the other side or the villages where there is nowhere to park a van, as opposed to the nice safe long straight bits where it used to happen.
it seems like the number of accidents has increased as well.
where i have lived for the last 35 years I have seen many limits reduced.
Frankly - I ignor them now. I dont speed in 30's but there are some NSL which have become 40 for no good reason. and some NSL to 50 and then to 40 and another NSL to 30.
Its becoming so unrealistic that the limits are held in contempt and will be ignored. Look at road works signs - 50% will be irrelevant ie no workers and no road works.
I got flashed overtaking a car doing about 40 in a NSL yesterday. There was no problem or other cars around and by the time he flashed, Im sure it was he didnt see me approaching him (with my lights on) I was doing 65 ish which was actually a sensible speed for that particular section of the road/condition.
Frankly - I ignor them now. I dont speed in 30's but there are some NSL which have become 40 for no good reason. and some NSL to 50 and then to 40 and another NSL to 30.
Its becoming so unrealistic that the limits are held in contempt and will be ignored. Look at road works signs - 50% will be irrelevant ie no workers and no road works.
I got flashed overtaking a car doing about 40 in a NSL yesterday. There was no problem or other cars around and by the time he flashed, Im sure it was he didnt see me approaching him (with my lights on) I was doing 65 ish which was actually a sensible speed for that particular section of the road/condition.
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