A80 speed limit
Discussion
Just back from a return trip from Stirling to London:
Apart from the A80 roadworks, there were about 7 or 8 other major roadworks protected by SPECS average speed cameras on the M6 and M1. They all involved either narrow lanes or contraflows with workers adjacent to the traffic as in the A80 and they were finishing between Dec 09 and 2013.
EVERY ONE OF THESE SITES WITHOUT EXCEPTION WAS 50MPH!!
Why why why is the A80 40mph? I certainly do not agree with people speeding past maintenance workers, endangering them. But if a properly enforced 50mph speed limit is good enough for England, why have Transport for Scotland made the A80 40mph? Simple answer - motorists on the M1 would not tolerate having to drive at 40mph for 4 years.
I tend to drive the A80 late nights/early mornings and most of the time see very few people working. Why are all sites not manned continuously round the clock to get the work finished quicker? It really is a disgrace.
Apart from the A80 roadworks, there were about 7 or 8 other major roadworks protected by SPECS average speed cameras on the M6 and M1. They all involved either narrow lanes or contraflows with workers adjacent to the traffic as in the A80 and they were finishing between Dec 09 and 2013.
EVERY ONE OF THESE SITES WITHOUT EXCEPTION WAS 50MPH!!
Why why why is the A80 40mph? I certainly do not agree with people speeding past maintenance workers, endangering them. But if a properly enforced 50mph speed limit is good enough for England, why have Transport for Scotland made the A80 40mph? Simple answer - motorists on the M1 would not tolerate having to drive at 40mph for 4 years.
I tend to drive the A80 late nights/early mornings and most of the time see very few people working. Why are all sites not manned continuously round the clock to get the work finished quicker? It really is a disgrace.
We need to invest in some James Bond revolving number plates - think we could find them on ebay??
Last night i was tempted to exit off at the Westerwood and re-join at Castlecarry just to break up the boredom. Not sure how the camera's would deal with this? I'm glad i've got cruise control though.
Last night i was tempted to exit off at the Westerwood and re-join at Castlecarry just to break up the boredom. Not sure how the camera's would deal with this? I'm glad i've got cruise control though.
Guys, guys , guys, why all the fuss about a 40mph limit over a few miles?
How much time is it actually putting on to your journey? Realistically?
If it was 70mph for 10 miles, you could do that in 8.5 mins.
At 40 mph it is 15 mins.
Is the 6.5 mins really that important to you? Six-and-a-half-minutes???
At busy times, the road probably isn't going any slower than it normally does. At quieter times, well, set the cruise control and catch up with your texting and emails!!!
How much time is it actually putting on to your journey? Realistically?
If it was 70mph for 10 miles, you could do that in 8.5 mins.
At 40 mph it is 15 mins.
Is the 6.5 mins really that important to you? Six-and-a-half-minutes???
At busy times, the road probably isn't going any slower than it normally does. At quieter times, well, set the cruise control and catch up with your texting and emails!!!
Its only a few miles.
And regardless of what you think, The site is manned and worked on 24/7.
I drive through it several times a day as i live right on it and i have seen too many close misses with workman, work traffic, cones and drivers who are actually doing the 40mph limit.
If 4 miles of 40mph limit saves 1 life in 4 years, Im all for it.
And regardless of what you think, The site is manned and worked on 24/7.
I drive through it several times a day as i live right on it and i have seen too many close misses with workman, work traffic, cones and drivers who are actually doing the 40mph limit.
If 4 miles of 40mph limit saves 1 life in 4 years, Im all for it.
John Cooper said:
Its only a few miles.
And regardless of what you think, The site is manned and worked on 24/7.
I drive through it several times a day as i live right on it and i have seen too many close misses with workman, work traffic, cones and drivers who are actually doing the 40mph limit.
If 4 miles of 40mph limit saves 1 life in 4 years, Im all for it.
i completelty agree but for my misses taking 2 hours to come along it every nyt on her way home is just riddiculousAnd regardless of what you think, The site is manned and worked on 24/7.
I drive through it several times a day as i live right on it and i have seen too many close misses with workman, work traffic, cones and drivers who are actually doing the 40mph limit.
If 4 miles of 40mph limit saves 1 life in 4 years, Im all for it.
kmm said:
Last night i was tempted to exit off at the Westerwood and re-join at Castlecarry just to break up the boredom. Not sure how the camera's would deal with this? I'm glad i've got cruise control though.
What I do is come off at Auchenkilns, A73/B803 to Slamannan, then take the backroads from Slamannan to Shieldhill past the 3 Kings. Much more fun! No idea if it's quicker/slower than staying on the A80/etc back to Falkirk, but who cares when it's a fun road like that. Probably not the best option during winter though...Vipers said:
klimakool said:
i completelty agree but for my misses taking 2 hours to come along it every nyt on her way home is just riddiculous
Is there 80 miles of road works then? 40 mph x 2 hours = 80 miles? don't make sense somehow.
Edited by Vipers on Monday 23 November 11:18
Done this on saturday not overly pleasant. I feel like I was staring at the speedo most the time! I agree if it saves a life then fair enough make it 40 but I cant see that 50 would indanger anyone anymore. Youl get 
s on the road. It doesnt matter what speed some people do they will stil be dangerous!
s on the road. It doesnt matter what speed some people do they will stil be dangerous!klimakool said:
Vipers said:
klimakool said:
i completelty agree but for my misses taking 2 hours to come along it every nyt on her way home is just riddiculous
Is there 80 miles of road works then? 40 mph x 2 hours = 80 miles? don't make sense somehow.Edited by Vipers on Monday 23 November 11:18
And if your wife was being held for 2 hours every night then surely she needs to look at a plan b? Different route, different times, different method of transport?
If going into ( otr the reverse) of Glasgow coming off at Backnock and in through Kilsyth Kirkintilloch & Bishopbriggs is probably quicker than road works
But if you've been stuck for a while in a tail back before roadworks thats another story......
But if you've been stuck for a while in a tail back before roadworks thats another story......
Edited by S2red on Monday 23 November 16:50
Celt said:
Done this on saturday not overly pleasant. I feel like I was staring at the speedo most the time! I agree if it saves a life then fair enough make it 40 but I cant see that 50 would indanger anyone anymore. Youl get s on the road. It doesnt matter what speed some people do they will stil be dangerous!
Agree, but this is when cruise control comes into its own. s on the road. It doesnt matter what speed some people do they will stil be dangerous!2 hours has nothing to do with the 40 limit. The 2 hours is because of an accident or a temporary closure, Which could happen on any road in Scotland, the uk and the world.
I drove through it all tonight start to finish and 40 felt fast enough with workman, lorrys and cranes being so close to the live carriageway.
I agree, its a pain in the arse but once the work is done will the same people still be moaning? I think not.
I drove through it all tonight start to finish and 40 felt fast enough with workman, lorrys and cranes being so close to the live carriageway.
I agree, its a pain in the arse but once the work is done will the same people still be moaning? I think not.
Me thinks they put a 40 limit up knowing folk exceed it anyway.
Driving into town each morning THROUGH Aberdeen, still dark, once you pass the Bridge of Dee heading towards Dyce, I stick to 40, coz its a 40 limit, I can guarantee most past me at 50 if not 60.
Whatever limit you put up, there will always be those who always exceed it by a big margin.
And what really annoys me when driving through Aberdeen over the Bridge of Dee knowing well when it rains, water accumulates in the gutter, and the path is quite narow, drivers speed over the bridge anyway splashing anyone in their way. When I went over last week at about 10 mph to not splash peds, what happens, behind me, beep beep beep, behind me....... Grow up drivers.
Driving into town each morning THROUGH Aberdeen, still dark, once you pass the Bridge of Dee heading towards Dyce, I stick to 40, coz its a 40 limit, I can guarantee most past me at 50 if not 60.
Whatever limit you put up, there will always be those who always exceed it by a big margin.
And what really annoys me when driving through Aberdeen over the Bridge of Dee knowing well when it rains, water accumulates in the gutter, and the path is quite narow, drivers speed over the bridge anyway splashing anyone in their way. When I went over last week at about 10 mph to not splash peds, what happens, behind me, beep beep beep, behind me....... Grow up drivers.
40mph is absolutely fine and quite agreeable with me for the sections where work is being carried out.
I can also understand that for such a large project it would be infeasable to set 40 mph limits only to sections where work is occurring each day.
However, it causes some consternation when exiting the A80 onto the M73 the 40mph limit is in force for a considerable distance where no work is being carried out andI believe work starts on that particular section in April 2010...
Two trips recently along the A80 at different times of the day, I was staggered that the average speed appears to be around 30 - 35 mph... Is 40 not slow enough for these people !
I can also understand that for such a large project it would be infeasable to set 40 mph limits only to sections where work is occurring each day.
However, it causes some consternation when exiting the A80 onto the M73 the 40mph limit is in force for a considerable distance where no work is being carried out andI believe work starts on that particular section in April 2010...
Two trips recently along the A80 at different times of the day, I was staggered that the average speed appears to be around 30 - 35 mph... Is 40 not slow enough for these people !
Edited by Evoman on Wednesday 25th November 17:20
Sort of related to this, I wonder what the speed limit will be on the new/upgraded road once it's all open? Common sense would say 70mph, but I have my doubts...
I'm worried they'll continue the 50mph limit on the existing bit of the M80 (from the M8 end), and extend it all the way along to Haggs. I still can't understand the reasoning behind the 50mph limit on the bit of the M80 from the M8 to the existing "humps" roundabout at it's end: it appears to be a perfectly safe bit of road (IMO) with few junctions, a hard shoulder, and is never that busy.
I'm worried they'll continue the 50mph limit on the existing bit of the M80 (from the M8 end), and extend it all the way along to Haggs. I still can't understand the reasoning behind the 50mph limit on the bit of the M80 from the M8 to the existing "humps" roundabout at it's end: it appears to be a perfectly safe bit of road (IMO) with few junctions, a hard shoulder, and is never that busy.
I drive through the A80 every day from Moodiesburn to Stirling and back. Whilst I have no objection to the 40mph limit given the proximity of workers/heavy machinery to the carriageway, the fact that 4 lanes of motorway traffic merge in to 2 at nearly exactly the same time almost beggars belief.
It's not even an accident that causes tailbacks. Guaranteed that if there's football or a concert on you're going to get stuck for well over an hour just getting to the roadworks.
You can go other routes but the majority of them suffer from congestion and/or roadworks also. An example being through Kilsyth just now, I've been caught at the lights there for a good 30 mins on occasion.
Having driven that road for a good while prior to the roadworks I can safely say that, with the exception of a major, major accident I have never joined a tailback at the first Stirling junction until the last couple of months!
I have my fears about the speed limit on that road also. I'm think it's inevitable the extension to Mollinsburn where the new interchange will be is going to be 50. After that, I'm not sure but there are a number of junctions and lane merges that could be used as reasons to restrict the speed.
It's not even an accident that causes tailbacks. Guaranteed that if there's football or a concert on you're going to get stuck for well over an hour just getting to the roadworks.
You can go other routes but the majority of them suffer from congestion and/or roadworks also. An example being through Kilsyth just now, I've been caught at the lights there for a good 30 mins on occasion.
Having driven that road for a good while prior to the roadworks I can safely say that, with the exception of a major, major accident I have never joined a tailback at the first Stirling junction until the last couple of months!
I have my fears about the speed limit on that road also. I'm think it's inevitable the extension to Mollinsburn where the new interchange will be is going to be 50. After that, I'm not sure but there are a number of junctions and lane merges that could be used as reasons to restrict the speed.
I came through there on the Vespa after midnight on bonfire night. Dunno if anyone remembers the fog that night but it was terrifying. It wasn't too bad going down to 40, but some heavy-plant type thing pulled out and sat at 20 for a few miles. I dunno if I've ever been so relieved as the moment I was sure the lorry coming up behind had seen me and was slowing down to 20. I would have been soup!
So going through it at 40 now doesn't seem as bad.
Also, the A77 was a 40 limit from Killie to Glasgow for a couple of years when they were extending the M77. That was as tedious as the current mess. Still, the cost of progress eh?
So going through it at 40 now doesn't seem as bad.
Also, the A77 was a 40 limit from Killie to Glasgow for a couple of years when they were extending the M77. That was as tedious as the current mess. Still, the cost of progress eh?
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