Monday 7th August 2006

Speed limits to be reviewed

Only on non-NSL roads though

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Speed limit changes on the way

Look out for more speed limit changes as new guidance for local authorities in setting local speed limits was published today by the Department for Transport (DfT).

It's designed to promote greater clarity and consistency, reckons the DfT, and covers the setting of all local speed limits on single and dual carriageway roads where drivers should adopt a different speed to the national limit.

Traffic Authorities have specifically been asked to review the speed limits on all of their A and B roads and implement any changes by 2011.

Roads minister Stephen Ladyman said: "Realistic and consistent speed limits help to keep traffic moving freely and safely. Our new guidance encourages lowering speed limits where the evidence warrants it but equally traffic authorities should consider increasing limits if it can be done safely.

"The guidance also encourages traffic authorities to set limits that reflect the road environment and characteristic, and which drivers will instinctively understand."

The new guidance takes account of important road safety developments over the last decade including speed limits in villages and 20mph speed limits and zones.

There are no plans to change national speed limits. Oh well...

[Polarbert]

ing hell. How many roads do you think will actually have the limit increased? None is my guess.

[havoc]

Ah...so Ladyman speaks up for sense on car taxation with one face, and then releases this steaming pile with his other face.

THAT makes more sense from this government...

[puggit]

I know of one road where the speed limit has been raised - the B483 road from Uxbridge to Swakeleys roundabout (A40). It's an urban dual-carriageway with nothing on one side and houses/roads off the other.

Dropped to 30mph with corresponding enforcement, and then someone realised it was too daft

[jasandjules]

Hmm, I see vast amounts of lowering but very few raising on that basis.. The good news is, the report says by 2011.. Well, they won't be in power then.

[BMW343]

This makes my blood boil

Is there any way we can get involved to help shape thier thinking.

[littlegreenfairy]

BMW343 said:

This makes my blood boil

Is there any way we can get involved to help shape thier thinking.

Become a hitman.

[sprinter885]

BMW343 said:

This makes my blood boil

Is there any way we can get involved to help shape thier thinking.

perhaps we can encourage Ted to put PH forward as a "Consultative Body" to Ladyman ??

[GreenV8S]

I'm a little surprised that they waited until so long after that football thing before announcing this. I wonder what they *did* bury while that was going on.

[IPAddis]

Around here they lower limits instead of repairing the road. It's cheaper you see, why spend £x million on repairing a road so that it can be safely navigated at 60mph when you can spend £400 on some new 40mph signs.

My question is, will an independent body be involved in reappraising the limits? I doubt it.

Ian A.

[wab172uk]

All that's going to happens is that lots of 30mph zones will now become 20mph zones with "Safety camera's" installed.
Perfectly safe 60mph zones, will now be dropped to 50mph or 40mph zones with "safety camera's" installed.

Not one road will be increased in speed.

[splatspeed]

i counted 5 speed camera warning signs

whilst looking for the speed limit

then a camera then a 40 roundall

put the roundall just before the camera please FFS

[jazzyjeff]

wab172uk said:

All that's going to happens is that lots of 30mph zones will now become 20mph zones with "Safety camera's" installed.
Perfectly safe 60mph zones, will now be dropped to 50mph or 40mph zones with "safety camera's" installed.

Not one road will be increased in speed.

That's a lot of assumptions there.

And a lot of irrelevant apostrophes too... ;-)

[tigger1]

Drove from Sheffield to Nottingham on the A60 yesterday. 50mph limits most of the way. Got to Redhill island (North Nottingham) and hit pretty much the first NSL stretch, and it's crazy, it's a downhill stretch with pavement either side, and a pub / houses.

Made me onder what was so bloody dangerous about the 50 miles before that!?

[cossiemetro]

thanks to all the faceless people who voted labour in (not that the tories are much better)

[sprinter885]

The hypocrisy of all these "Committee" recommendations is that they make them on the grounds of a) Safety b) Reducing congestion c) Reducing pollution. Yet there is plenty of controversial evidence against a) AND lowering speed limits can surely only increase congestion? (what happens when traffic crawls along at 10-15 mph -it CAUSES CONGESTION!!) AND c) what are they doing about cows ??-apparently the biggest producers of methane on the planet Seriously when are these wkers in Govt. going to come up with a sensible COORDINATED transport policy instead of trying to simply force traffic off the roads when there has been no forethought or planning to provide viable, reliable, economical alternative forms of public transport? I DO believe that cutting down on short local journeys is a good thing but not practical at present. If a journey is say, 10 miles+ then private vehicles are the best option & road networks need to facilitate that to keep the country on the move. over

Edited by sprinter885 on Monday 7th August 13:27

[nickytwohats]

2 is a lot is it Geoff?

[bunglist]

sprinter885 said:

The hypocrisy of all these "Committee" recommendations is that they make them on the grounds of a) Safety b) Reducing congestion c) Reducing pollution. Yet there is plenty of controversial evidence against a) AND lowering speed limits can surely only increase congestion? (what happens when traffic crawls along at 10-15 mph -it CAUSES CONGESTION!!) AND c) what are they doing about cows ??-apparently the biggest producers of methane on the planet Seriously when are these wkers in Govt. going to come up with a sensible COORDINATED transport policy instead of trying to simply force traffic off the roads when there has been no forethought or planning to provide viable, reliable, economical alternative forms of public transport? I DO believe that cutting down on short local journeys is a good thing but not practical at present. If a journey is say, 10 miles+ then private vehicles are the best option & road networks need to facilitate that to keep the country on the move. over

Edited by sprinter885 on Monday 7th August 13:27

I understand what you are saying and agree about the cows, but you know what the government will do next, they'll put a polution tax on roat beef.

[beasto]

Hmm, they've slowed the Buckingham-Bicester road to 50 mph for unfathomable reasons, and introduced road-narrowings which cause holdups where all was clear before.

Not that I'm paranoid, but the Health and Safety Nazis seem to be infecting our whole culture...

[Crippo]

beasto said:

Not that I'm paranoid, but the Health and Safety Nazis seem to be infecting our whole culture...

Be Paranoid you......are right

[havoc]

bunglist said:

I understand what you are saying and agree about the cows, but you know what the government will do next, they'll put a polution tax on rosat beef.

No, you've got it all wrong...we need to kill the cows to stop them producing methane...so we'll get a subsidy on steaks!