40mph limit on unclassified roads

[bob the planner]

I have just noticed something in the local rag about a 'Dorset Safety Camera Partnership'. Whilst trying to turn up something about this group I came across the Arne parish council minutes for August

the bit that got me though was this :-

County Councillor Duffy had sent a copy letter from Miles Butler addressed to Mr Jim Knight MP regarding the Parish Council's request for all rural roads sharing the Purbeck Cycleway to be limited to 40mph. Mr Butler had said the Quiet Lanes Project was being experimented in Corfe Mullen and expansion of this would depend on the results. He also said the Dorset Safety Camera Partnership would be launched in the near future and will result in higher levels of speed enforcement, members felt this was not likely to happen in the Arne Parish. The Department of Transport was considering reducing national speed limits on unclassified roads to 40mph.
Agreed Clerk to write to Department of Transport to support unclassified roads being restricted to 40mph and therefore be more suitable to walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

So all of the fun roads round Dorset (and other rural areas) will soon be 40mph. Have I had my head in the sand or is this not well publicised ? Its bad enough that dual carraigeways have a 50mph limit but 40 on unclassified roads is unnessessary A letter to my MP is on its way (for as much good as it will do).

[edit] I have just found the stats for km of road in Dorset.

Trunk Roads 109 km (yes one hundred & nine)
A Roads 371 km
B & C Roads 1510 km
Unclassified 1996 km

More than half the roas in Dorset will be limited to just 40mph by the county councils own stats - Aaaaaaarrrrggh [/edit]

Bob



>>> Edited by bob the planner on Sunday 29th December 21:39

[Simonelite501]

Hey Bob, don't panic. Speed limits are only relevant in two situations, firstly when the old bill are in attendance (or theres a camera) and secondly, when the guy behind the wheel cares what the speed limit is, so thats not really a problem is it.

[corozin]

Hi Bob,
I think the reference to reducing roads to 40mph was in a white paper issued by DETR a couple of months ago, which was very quickly savaged by most of the press if I recall correctly.

However I agree that Dorset does have some of the finest roads in the UK (although not many are around Corfe Mullen! - Corfe Castle is perhaps what they meant!)

Can you keep us updated with any developments on this front? As a fellow Dorset PH I'll happily support any initiative to keep this bloody scourge off the roads.

John

[deltaf]

And i dont give a shit bout neither Si!
Go as fast as ya like, and as the group Two Unlimited sang; "No no, nonono,nono,nono theres no limits".
Stuff em all, i feel the need, the need for speed.
Laterz all gonna do 120 in a 30 zone.
(I will too!)

[bob the planner]

corozin said: Hi Bob,
I think the reference to reducing roads to 40mph was in a white paper issued by DETR a couple of months ago, which was very quickly savaged by most of the press if I recall correctly. ....

Thanks John, it was me not paying attention then. I'm pleased someone was on the case. It seems that a lot of the roads are sprouting new (or lower) speed limits at present. I was out today on a route proving run for Dorset Dawdle (see events) and I'm sure the speed limits have move further outside the villages . I will let you know if I spot anything else. :searchesforDorsetCountyCouncilWebSite:

Simon, I do care about the speed limits as there are a few cameras where you don't expect them and occasionally BiB too. It is a restriction that I would prefer not to break.

Bob

[dennisthemenace]

Bob you have a bit more in the grey matter department than me i think its time we get together and apporach DCC about this patetic safety scamrea partneship , Soon i wont be able to take my bike out of 1st gear

[hertsbiker]

so sad. This is what worries me, and they *will* have Talivans out on these roads to catch us "naughty" people who want to do 45....

C

[dennisthemenace]

Yeh carl its depressing the fcuk out of me time to go i think

[spnracing]

[quote
Laterz all gonna do 120 in a 30 zone.
(I will too!)

---

With attitudes like that I think we can expect speed limits to be continually lowered. And more enforcement too.

[jimbro1000]

spnracing said: [quote
Laterz all gonna do 120 in a 30 zone.
(I will too!)

With attitudes like that I think we can expect speed limits to be continually lowered. And more enforcement too.

---

Exactly - responsible speeding I can live with. I speed and I take responsibility for what happens, as such apply a measure of caution, care and consideration and driving at sensible speeds in a 30 zone is a part of it, the same applies to all suburban roads. There is no way you can call 120mph in a 30 zone responsible, it is the total opposite. You cannot expect anyone else on the road to compensate for it as that sort of speed is totally unexpected. If someone walks across the road a few hundred yards in front of you (the sort of thing that happens daily) neither you nor they have a hope!

As for the original topic - I hate the idea of any speed limit on those unclassified roads. They are the only place on the public highway that I can enjoy my driving. It isn't about driving fast either - just quick with plenty of driver envolvement. 40mph just about puts a cap on that, especially if it is enforced rather than just stated. While it won't stop the enthusiast it will slow down the already slow drivers that seem to frequent those roads (excusing tractor drivers as they can't go any faster and the roads generally belong to them in the first place). Getting past a slow driver on tight country lanes is a challenge that comes with plenty of risks. On the other hand getting past them is easier than when they are doing 50...

On the other hand these are also the same roads where runners, cyclists, walkers and horse riders go to get away from traffic and make those roads far more dangerous than they would otherwise be. The roads around the Chequers are a deathtrap but it doesnt stop people walking in the road or drivers hooning down the lanes as fast as possible. The amazing thing is the number of accidents that don't happen and those that do tend to avoid the pedestrians (and end with a car parked in a convenient nearby tree).

[Simonelite501]

Hey guys, lighten up! My original post was in jest, I obviously can't coment on Deltaf's post, but if I were to have to put money on it, I'd wager he's just the same as the rest of us on here, i.e pretty responsible.

[corozin]

In an attempt to change the thread slightly from dissolving into another "Speed Limit Rant" thread, how many of you guys actually get a chance to sample Dorset's roads for enthusiastic driving?

I noticed in a copy of EVO (but it might have been Autocar) a few months back that there was a road up near Corfe Castle was voted one of the best in the UK by journalists, and recounted one guy's particular experiences on there in an Evo-6.

I hope the Dorset Dibbles aren't watching this thred Dorset Police seems to be one of the few left without a website these days I'm keeping my fingers crossed

Me? I still love the A35 between Poole & Bridport for the old Corrado, and that amazing bit of road from Weymouth through Burton Bradstock...

[bob the planner]

corozin said: ...
I noticed in a copy of EVO (but it might have been Autocar) a few months back that there was a road up near Corfe Castle was voted one of the best in the UK by journalists, and recounted one guy's particular experiences on there in an Evo-6.

...

[shamelessplug]
You cominmg along on the Dawdle then ? (see here) Try it out first hand with a few other PHers :shamelessplug]

[corozin]

bob the planner said:[shamelessplug]
You cominmg along on the Dawdle then ? (see here) Try it out first hand with a few other PHers :shamelessplug]

Sounds good to me, as long as you don't mind my non-TVR. It's as noisy as most TVR's though

[deltaf]

Well SPN, as soon as the authorities start acting reasonably in their enforcement, ie; not hiding in the bushes, putting up innapropriate limits and entrapping drivers, then maybe ill be reasonable.
Until that day arrives, ill be a pain in the ass to em, and i WONT comply!
Major league speeder with zero points on my license.
Must be doing something right hadnt I?

[silkygal]

40 mph ..... wow, that's a high speed.
I noticed a County Council Notice in the Leicester local rag a couple of weeks back that stated that Stoughton Village and all surrounding roads leading into, and out of, the village would be subject to a speed limit of 20 mph from Jan 1st ....... I have little doubt that other villages will follow. The Councillors (just released from the local mental health hospital) are beginning to realise that they have run out of roads on which to slap a 30 mph limit. 10 mph next year ....

[tsh]

jimbro1000 said:

There is no way you can call 120mph in a 30 zone responsible, it is the total opposite.

---

No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Without knowing the exact section of road, you have no idea of how safe any particular 1/4 mile stretch of road is at any speed. Just because it's a 30 zone doesn't mean there's a house next to the road. Maybe there's no pavement, brick walls on either side and a clear view for 2 miles. (or maybe not!)

There was a day when the speed limit on a road bore some relation to the conditions that might be expected on that road, but not any more.

Sean