"Speed van nabs 100 in one hour"
Discussion
Apologies if a repost, note the active poll, "Do you think speed camera vans are a good idea?":
Link to story
Link to story
Worcester News said:
A LONG-awaited speed enforcement van parked on a busy road clocked 100 people flouting the limit in its first hour on the job.
Worcestershire County Councillor Tom Wells revealed the figure from Hanley Swan, near Worcester, to members of Powick Parish Coucil at its annual meeting.
Mr Wells, who represents Hanley Swan, was instrumental in campaigning for the speed measures.
He said: “There was obviously a need for something to be done, which is evident through the number of people who have been caught already.”
The Safer Roads Partnership for West Mercia parked the van on the busy B4209 main road through Hanley Swan from Mon-day, May 17, after years of requests from residents.
A recent survey on the road showed three-quarters of drivers breaking the 30mph limit. Almost a fifth were going faster than 40mph.
Vote
Do you think speed camera vans are a good idea?
Yes:
42%
No:
58%
Rod Reynolds, partnership manager, Safer Roads Partnership in West Mercia, said: “A significant number of offences were detected on the first day of enforcement on the B4209 at Hanley Swan, despite advanced publicity and the presence of speed camera warning signs.
“This highlighted and confirmed the speed problem that local residents had stated existed in the village. It is hoped the presence of a speed camera van will develop a culture of speed limit compliance and encourage drivers to reduce their speed, making the road safer for all.
“Speeding can be anti-social and have an impact on people’s quality of life. We would urge drivers to consider how their driving behaviour, especially speeding, affects other people and to stick to 30mph limits when travelling through villages.”
The decision to tackle speeding in the area comes after a successful pilot scheme by Safer Roads in two other Worcestershire villages, including Great Witley, near Worcester, which reduced the number of drivers caught speeding.
The community concern scheme tested enforcement in areas where communities said there was consistent speeding, but where serious accident rates were not high.
(My bold)
The new scheme has the backing of West Mercia Police and Worcestershire County Council.
Dennis Wade, a Hanley Castle parish councillor who lives on the main road in Hanley Swan, said people power had won the day.
“Dozens of residents have been hammering away about this issue for years,” he said. “The problem is it is a very straight road, and we’re getting people driving along it at up to 70mph – it’s an accident waiting to happen.”
The enforcement van will be in place periodically for the next six months.
linkWorcestershire County Councillor Tom Wells revealed the figure from Hanley Swan, near Worcester, to members of Powick Parish Coucil at its annual meeting.
Mr Wells, who represents Hanley Swan, was instrumental in campaigning for the speed measures.
He said: “There was obviously a need for something to be done, which is evident through the number of people who have been caught already.”
The Safer Roads Partnership for West Mercia parked the van on the busy B4209 main road through Hanley Swan from Mon-day, May 17, after years of requests from residents.
A recent survey on the road showed three-quarters of drivers breaking the 30mph limit. Almost a fifth were going faster than 40mph.
Vote
Do you think speed camera vans are a good idea?
Yes:
42%
No:
58%
Rod Reynolds, partnership manager, Safer Roads Partnership in West Mercia, said: “A significant number of offences were detected on the first day of enforcement on the B4209 at Hanley Swan, despite advanced publicity and the presence of speed camera warning signs.
“This highlighted and confirmed the speed problem that local residents had stated existed in the village. It is hoped the presence of a speed camera van will develop a culture of speed limit compliance and encourage drivers to reduce their speed, making the road safer for all.
“Speeding can be anti-social and have an impact on people’s quality of life. We would urge drivers to consider how their driving behaviour, especially speeding, affects other people and to stick to 30mph limits when travelling through villages.”
The decision to tackle speeding in the area comes after a successful pilot scheme by Safer Roads in two other Worcestershire villages, including Great Witley, near Worcester, which reduced the number of drivers caught speeding.
The community concern scheme tested enforcement in areas where communities said there was consistent speeding, but where serious accident rates were not high.
(My bold)
The new scheme has the backing of West Mercia Police and Worcestershire County Council.
Dennis Wade, a Hanley Castle parish councillor who lives on the main road in Hanley Swan, said people power had won the day.
“Dozens of residents have been hammering away about this issue for years,” he said. “The problem is it is a very straight road, and we’re getting people driving along it at up to 70mph – it’s an accident waiting to happen.”
The enforcement van will be in place periodically for the next six months.
Edited by Johnnytheboy on Monday 14th June 10:14
Dennis Wade, a Hanley Castle parish councillor who lives on the main road in Hanley Swan, said people power had won the day.
“Dozens of residents have been hammering away about this issue for years,” he said. “The problem is it is a very straight road, and we’re getting people driving along it at up to 70mph – it’s an accident waiting to happen.”
Hopefully it will be the residents who get caught.
“Dozens of residents have been hammering away about this issue for years,” he said. “The problem is it is a very straight road, and we’re getting people driving along it at up to 70mph – it’s an accident waiting to happen.”
Hopefully it will be the residents who get caught.
clearly i dont know the road at all but what is the betting that the majority of people who got cought are all VERY local and the same people who complain about the speeding.
That said how do 100+ people manage to miss a bloody great van with stickers all over it stating it is monitoring speeding????????
dave
That said how do 100+ people manage to miss a bloody great van with stickers all over it stating it is monitoring speeding????????
dave
This village used to be a 40mph limit. There were no accidents. Then the lovely Mr Wells decided to try and get a name for himself (fancied himself as the next MP) and the village, along with others in the area, was reduced to 30mph. It's a long, wide, straight road through it.
There continued to be no accidents. Suddenly it becomes a 'Community Concern' site. Traffic doesn't go nuts through the place, in fact most people drive carefully because the ducks that inhabit the local pond don't know the green cross code. What it was a good place for, was nabbing people doing 35-40.
It's this can of thing that totally undermines everything we try to do. I banged my head against a wall in the past trying too get the van to go to a true blackspot, where people have died or been seriously injured. (And I mean the actual spot, rather than a vague few miles either way). I got turned down on the basis that the throughput of traffic wasn't enough.
Mr Wells will continue to make noises and keep himself in the paper. Hopefully his true side might become public one day.
There continued to be no accidents. Suddenly it becomes a 'Community Concern' site. Traffic doesn't go nuts through the place, in fact most people drive carefully because the ducks that inhabit the local pond don't know the green cross code. What it was a good place for, was nabbing people doing 35-40.
It's this can of thing that totally undermines everything we try to do. I banged my head against a wall in the past trying too get the van to go to a true blackspot, where people have died or been seriously injured. (And I mean the actual spot, rather than a vague few miles either way). I got turned down on the basis that the throughput of traffic wasn't enough.
Mr Wells will continue to make noises and keep himself in the paper. Hopefully his true side might become public one day.
I know a lot of speed freaks here will not agree, but cars travelling quickly near houses is disturbing...I know because I live next to a village through road and cars that travel at a resonable speed go by barely noticed, but the odd idiot, or mum on the run who whizzes by, is quite disturbing....and I am no old fogey...although I admit to getting a bit older now, but as a result I now appreciate why I should not have behaved like I did when I was 19!
I am no angel, but when near other peoples homes, why not respect their desire for a bit of peace and quite?
Obviously I do not know if there is another adjenda in this particular case.
I am no angel, but when near other peoples homes, why not respect their desire for a bit of peace and quite?
Obviously I do not know if there is another adjenda in this particular case.
aka_kerrly said:
clearly i dont know the road at all but what is the betting that the majority of people who got cought are all VERY local and the same people who complain about the speeding.
That said how do 100+ people manage to miss a bloody great van with stickers all over it stating it is monitoring speeding????????
dave
How do you know it was a bloody great van stickered up? I have seen several camera vans locally that were very well hidden and with minimal markings.That said how do 100+ people manage to miss a bloody great van with stickers all over it stating it is monitoring speeding????????
dave
Manks
CTE said:
I know a lot of speed freaks here will not agree, but cars travelling quickly near houses is disturbing...I know because I live next to a village through road and cars that travel at a resonable speed go by barely noticed, but the odd idiot, or mum on the run who whizzes by, is quite disturbing....and I am no old fogey...although I admit to getting a bit older now, but as a result I now appreciate why I should not have behaved like I did when I was 19!
I am no angel, but when near other peoples homes, why not respect their desire for a bit of peace and quite?
Obviously I do not know if there is another adjenda in this particular case.
The problem is that camera vans do not differentiate between utter loons doing 60 and people doing 36. I know the penalty would be different, but they'd all get done. I would not describe 100 motorists as "the odd idiot".I am no angel, but when near other peoples homes, why not respect their desire for a bit of peace and quite?
Obviously I do not know if there is another adjenda in this particular case.
Anyway I suppose the intelligent thing would've been to link to this story so you can vote if you wish to. I have retrofitted my first post too.
Elroy Blue said:
This village used to be a 40mph limit. There were no accidents. Then the lovely Mr Wells decided to try and get a name for himself (fancied himself as the next MP) and the village, along with others in the area, was reduced to 30mph. It's a long, wide, straight road through it.
There continued to be no accidents. Suddenly it becomes a 'Community Concern' site. Traffic doesn't go nuts through the place, in fact most people drive carefully because the ducks that inhabit the local pond don't know the green cross code. What it was a good place for, was nabbing people doing 35-40.
It's this can of thing that totally undermines everything we try to do. I banged my head against a wall in the past trying too get the van to go to a true blackspot, where people have died or been seriously injured. (And I mean the actual spot, rather than a vague few miles either way). I got turned down on the basis that the throughput of traffic wasn't enough.
Mr Wells will continue to make noises and keep himself in the paper. Hopefully his true side might become public one day.
And there in a nutshell you've captured why so many people think that spped traps/scameras whatever you call them are not intended to reduca accidents but to generate revenue. A sad state of affairs but that's the reality of it.There continued to be no accidents. Suddenly it becomes a 'Community Concern' site. Traffic doesn't go nuts through the place, in fact most people drive carefully because the ducks that inhabit the local pond don't know the green cross code. What it was a good place for, was nabbing people doing 35-40.
It's this can of thing that totally undermines everything we try to do. I banged my head against a wall in the past trying too get the van to go to a true blackspot, where people have died or been seriously injured. (And I mean the actual spot, rather than a vague few miles either way). I got turned down on the basis that the throughput of traffic wasn't enough.
Mr Wells will continue to make noises and keep himself in the paper. Hopefully his true side might become public one day.
Manks said:
One wonders what the net effect upon speeding is in that location relative to improved signage or perhaps automatic speed warning signs.
If your refering to those signs that display your speed to everyone, i believe they work better than cameras at slowing people down.Makes you feel like people are judging you even if your only doing 31 as it starts flashing etc.
There are certain things that get overlooked in this argument:
1. Speeding is regularly a concern for local areas - the majority of the ones near me have identified it. This is as a result of consultation with residents of that area.
2. While point 1 sets the policing priorities for the area the enforcement of it should still be proportionate to the problem.
I know that the chap who is often asked to help out with speed enforcement and is responsible for the siting of camera vans for my area will not just stick a van somewhere unless the local officer has researched the problem (if in fact there is one) first.
While I do not seek to justify the indiscriminate placing of speed cameras everywhere - they are pretty visible and 100 in an hour would indicate to me that there genuinely is a problem.
1. Speeding is regularly a concern for local areas - the majority of the ones near me have identified it. This is as a result of consultation with residents of that area.
2. While point 1 sets the policing priorities for the area the enforcement of it should still be proportionate to the problem.
I know that the chap who is often asked to help out with speed enforcement and is responsible for the siting of camera vans for my area will not just stick a van somewhere unless the local officer has researched the problem (if in fact there is one) first.
While I do not seek to justify the indiscriminate placing of speed cameras everywhere - they are pretty visible and 100 in an hour would indicate to me that there genuinely is a problem.
Robb F said:
Manks said:
One wonders what the net effect upon speeding is in that location relative to improved signage or perhaps automatic speed warning signs.
If your refering to those signs that display your speed to everyone, i believe they work better than cameras at slowing people down.Makes you feel like people are judging you even if your only doing 31 as it starts flashing etc.
Frix said:
There are certain things that get overlooked in this argument:
1. Speeding is regularly a concern for local areas - the majority of the ones near me have identified it. This is as a result of consultation with residents of that area.
2. While point 1 sets the policing priorities for the area the enforcement of it should still be proportionate to the problem.
I know that the chap who is often asked to help out with speed enforcement and is responsible for the siting of camera vans for my area will not just stick a van somewhere unless the local officer has researched the problem (if in fact there is one) first.
While I do not seek to justify the indiscriminate placing of speed cameras everywhere - they are pretty visible and 100 in an hour would indicate to me that there genuinely is a problem.
I agree that 100 an hour suggests that there genuinely is a problem. I would suggest that the problem is the speed limit is unrealistically low.1. Speeding is regularly a concern for local areas - the majority of the ones near me have identified it. This is as a result of consultation with residents of that area.
2. While point 1 sets the policing priorities for the area the enforcement of it should still be proportionate to the problem.
I know that the chap who is often asked to help out with speed enforcement and is responsible for the siting of camera vans for my area will not just stick a van somewhere unless the local officer has researched the problem (if in fact there is one) first.
While I do not seek to justify the indiscriminate placing of speed cameras everywhere - they are pretty visible and 100 in an hour would indicate to me that there genuinely is a problem.
rs1952 said:
I agree that 100 an hour suggests that there genuinely is a problem. I would suggest that the problem is the speed limit is unrealistically low.
Someone should ask for the traffic speeds. If that shows the speed-limit doesnt meet guidance, the camera shouldnt be there either.
Trouble is most people complain here rather than doing something about it.
(I am sure the local paper reported it as 100 caught in 1 day)
I drive this road twice a day.... Its a wide open road with perfect visibility down it..
What I am unable to see are 30mph repeaters anywhere.... infact you could easily be conufsed into thinking that its a 40mph given the lack of street lighting and signs...So it is possible that all drivers thought they WERE within the limit!
For the first couple of weeks the camera was there, there were not even any speed camera "signs" up... this has been rectified with some plastic ones ..one at each end of the 30mph zone...
I dont understand how the camera managed to catch so many people... its in a fairly obvious position... provided you are awake you can see it and slow down should you be driving at a speed which is suitable for the conditions...
I did see one gentleman one morning getting frustrated with the car infront doing 20mph so he overtook passed the camera.... not a clever move IMHO!
I drive this road twice a day.... Its a wide open road with perfect visibility down it..
What I am unable to see are 30mph repeaters anywhere.... infact you could easily be conufsed into thinking that its a 40mph given the lack of street lighting and signs...So it is possible that all drivers thought they WERE within the limit!
For the first couple of weeks the camera was there, there were not even any speed camera "signs" up... this has been rectified with some plastic ones ..one at each end of the 30mph zone...
I dont understand how the camera managed to catch so many people... its in a fairly obvious position... provided you are awake you can see it and slow down should you be driving at a speed which is suitable for the conditions...
I did see one gentleman one morning getting frustrated with the car infront doing 20mph so he overtook passed the camera.... not a clever move IMHO!
Edited by tegwin on Monday 14th June 11:39
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