Speed limit compliance

[Strangely Brown]

If you want to know just how many people do, or do not, comply with speed limits, which ones, and in which class of vehicle, then you can have a dig around in here and make yourself go nuts.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/vehicle-speed-compliance-statistics-for-great-britain-2022/vehicle-speed-compliance-statistics-for-great-britain-2022

For clarity: I have not read it with any depth or analysis and I offer it as a talking point.

[jont-]

Well for starters, their methodology sucks.
1) The counters are not invisible, so you don't know what effect they have on the traffic that observes them
2) What does "free flowing traffic" mean? Because if there's a train of vehicles, only the speed of the first should be measured (as the others are presumably being held up at least to some extent by it, otherwise there wouldn't be a train)

Further thought - if there are locations where a majority are speeding, why is the default response "we need better enforcement" than "maybe the speed limit should increase" or "are the hazards adequately signed"?

[Horse]

2) What does "free flowing traffic" mean? Because if there's a train of vehicles, only the speed of the first should be measured (as the others are presumably being held up at least to some extent by it, otherwise there wouldn't be a train)

When I've been involved with work where that phrase was used, it meant that congestion was removed from the data.

FWIW on one project, a 50 limit (down from National) was in place for roadworks. Speed monitoring was installed for the research (not offence identification and enforcement) and got someone at, IIRC, 135mph. That's real free-flow!

[jont-]

2) What does "free flowing traffic" mean? Because if there's a train of vehicles, only the speed of the first should be measured (as the others are presumably being held up at least to some extent by it, otherwise there wouldn't be a train)

When I've been involved with work where that phrase was used, it meant that congestion was removed from the data.

Which is what I'd expect, but that's not free flowing speeds then

[Strangely Brown]

2) What does "free flowing traffic" mean?

They appear to define that in the paper as:

"Free flow speed

Free flow speeds are observed in locations where external factors which might restrict driver behaviour (for example junctions, hills, sharp bends and speed enforcement cameras) are not present."