WARNING - Boring topic ! Local council road speeds
Discussion
A decade or so ago my local council (Wokingham, Berks) dropped the speed limit on the whole of the A321 Henley to Wargrave road from a 60mph to a 40mph limit. It was worth doing but I don't think they went far enough and 30 mph is more appropriate in our small section as we are the first of 7 houses on the edge of a village. In fact it is 30 mph about 500 meters further into the village. After 2+ years of effort I got the local council to re-assess the speed limit outside our house as I requested it be dropped to 30mph about 600 meters before the current "Village" area. I failed and they believe the current limit is correct. I have received their technical arguments for this but they are all rather circular and self serving but they have now at least declared and in black and white what they rely on for their conclusions.
As part of that rebuttal they did 1 week of speed survey in the summer for which I have the data set. However at the same time as the pneumatic road speed loggers being set up they also very doggedly put up an illuminating speed monitoring sign about 100 meters away from the pneumatic strips speed logger. You know the type they light up with Green when under the limit and red saying slow down when over the limit. So the whole data set will have been influenced and compromised by the presence of this new sign at that time. None the less speed averages were about 5 mph over the limit in both directions. Peeks were absurdly high with a few 100 mph and above. 1/4 of all cars were 10 mph over the limit. I think these were probably organ donors (sorry Motorcyclists) zipping about like MadMax and thinking they are cool in some way.
I am looking for some genuine insight / experience please on my best next steps to tackle this ? Many thanks.
I realise this is about as interesting a topic as paint drying times for most Pistonheaders. I am not anti-speed. I have had half a dozen Porsches in my time and raced too, nor is this nimbyism. There is a genuine road safety issue here that I wanted them to acknowledge that they do not actually address in their rebuttal. They simply say the limit is OK for XYZ reasons.
Are there professionals who deal with and advise on how to assault the "logic" of local councils on such matters ?
As part of that rebuttal they did 1 week of speed survey in the summer for which I have the data set. However at the same time as the pneumatic road speed loggers being set up they also very doggedly put up an illuminating speed monitoring sign about 100 meters away from the pneumatic strips speed logger. You know the type they light up with Green when under the limit and red saying slow down when over the limit. So the whole data set will have been influenced and compromised by the presence of this new sign at that time. None the less speed averages were about 5 mph over the limit in both directions. Peeks were absurdly high with a few 100 mph and above. 1/4 of all cars were 10 mph over the limit. I think these were probably organ donors (sorry Motorcyclists) zipping about like MadMax and thinking they are cool in some way.
I am looking for some genuine insight / experience please on my best next steps to tackle this ? Many thanks.
I realise this is about as interesting a topic as paint drying times for most Pistonheaders. I am not anti-speed. I have had half a dozen Porsches in my time and raced too, nor is this nimbyism. There is a genuine road safety issue here that I wanted them to acknowledge that they do not actually address in their rebuttal. They simply say the limit is OK for XYZ reasons.
Are there professionals who deal with and advise on how to assault the "logic" of local councils on such matters ?
If people are already doing 40+ then the road doesn't look like a slow road to the average driver.
Reducing the limit may be counterproductive - there have been instances where a reasonably well observed 40 limit like yours was reduced to 30 and average speeds increased. I think the idea being that if you're breaking the limit may as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb.
As for the 100+ crowd you'll never solve that issue. If someone is willing to flout a 40 limit by more than double, then they're willing to flout a 30 limit as well so it makes no odds.
Reducing the limit may be counterproductive - there have been instances where a reasonably well observed 40 limit like yours was reduced to 30 and average speeds increased. I think the idea being that if you're breaking the limit may as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb.
As for the 100+ crowd you'll never solve that issue. If someone is willing to flout a 40 limit by more than double, then they're willing to flout a 30 limit as well so it makes no odds.
100mph on that road? Really? I agree that 40 is about right but most of the time I struggle to get over 15mph as there always seems to be a herd of cyclists in the way.
But yeah, as above. Reducing the speed limit isn't going to do anything about the most egregious of speeders and on average I'd suggest it's probably about right.
But yeah, as above. Reducing the speed limit isn't going to do anything about the most egregious of speeders and on average I'd suggest it's probably about right.
I sympathise when you have t
ts doing 100mph+ past your front door, but from the OP it sounds like you bought a house on a 60mph THEN went about campaigning for a lower limit.
If that is the case; should road users be held up (even just -10mph for 600 metres) to increase your enjoyment of your property?
I'm seeing this attitude already on a new development near me where new residents are getting upset about speeders on the 40mph relief road, pushing for speed bumps, which would move traffic onto my (30mph old residential) road to avoid it. I woz 'ere first!
ts doing 100mph+ past your front door, but from the OP it sounds like you bought a house on a 60mph THEN went about campaigning for a lower limit. If that is the case; should road users be held up (even just -10mph for 600 metres) to increase your enjoyment of your property?
I'm seeing this attitude already on a new development near me where new residents are getting upset about speeders on the 40mph relief road, pushing for speed bumps, which would move traffic onto my (30mph old residential) road to avoid it. I woz 'ere first!
rxe said:
I grew up round there and passed my test in Henley. That road was then a 60 and a perfectly good one at that. Doing 60 over the humpback bridge was the highlight of the drive....
Same hereEasily a 60 plus road..even in a beat up alfasud Best at night though
Henley to Reading road was entertaining as well.. But they have ruined that as well.
I used to drive that stretch of road every day when I was at college in Henley.
It was a perfectly usable 60 MPH limit and most would adapt their speed based on traffic conditions, weather etc. Those that excessively speed, would do so anyway regardless of limit.
Speed limit reductions are not always the answer - sometimes people concentrate more in higher speed limits as they have to be more alert. When bumbling around in 30 MPH limits they are more likely to change radio stations, check phone etc.
It was a perfectly usable 60 MPH limit and most would adapt their speed based on traffic conditions, weather etc. Those that excessively speed, would do so anyway regardless of limit.
Speed limit reductions are not always the answer - sometimes people concentrate more in higher speed limits as they have to be more alert. When bumbling around in 30 MPH limits they are more likely to change radio stations, check phone etc.
I have no advice for the OP but I think we're going to end up in a similar situation.
We have a house on a 60mph section of road (A701 between Edinburgh & Moffat) its a great driving road & really popular with car drivers, bikers & cyclists. Our house is with a small group of other properties just before the 30mph starts.
Our house is on a junction that the local haulage firm use to turn their trucks around on (as they have inadequate access to their own access road but that's another issue!), stuff regularly hurtles through the junction and if we're out in the garden you'll often the screech of tyres & a blast of a horn as there's a near miss!
I'm a biker, car driver & cyclist so I can see from all angles and I think the bikes are really pushing it in a dangerous section. My neighbours a getting proper grumpy & I think they're about to start lobbying the council to do something about it.
We have a house on a 60mph section of road (A701 between Edinburgh & Moffat) its a great driving road & really popular with car drivers, bikers & cyclists. Our house is with a small group of other properties just before the 30mph starts.
Our house is on a junction that the local haulage firm use to turn their trucks around on (as they have inadequate access to their own access road but that's another issue!), stuff regularly hurtles through the junction and if we're out in the garden you'll often the screech of tyres & a blast of a horn as there's a near miss!
I'm a biker, car driver & cyclist so I can see from all angles and I think the bikes are really pushing it in a dangerous section. My neighbours a getting proper grumpy & I think they're about to start lobbying the council to do something about it.
speedking31 said:
phil4 said:
I don't believe you've said why you think 30mph is more appropriate?
OP said:
There is a "genuine road safety issue ..."
If that's the case then present the accident statistics, or have they already been taken into account in setting the current limit?Bikesalot said:
Cyrus1971 said:
I think these were probably organ donors (sorry Motorcyclists)
I think the bigger issue is using this term...Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff