20mph alternatives

[angus]

We had a blanket 20 limit installed in my village a few years ago. 20 is more than fast enough on all the side roads but on the main road through (which is also a bus route) I'd estimate less than half stick to 20 (including the buses), and probably 15-20% don't keep below 30.

Local coucillors man an occasional speed watch on the brief 30 restiction entering the village but aren't allowed to conduct it in the 20.

With regard "intelligent" speed assist, my car "sees" invisible limit changes or signs in side roads, forgets the 20 restriction in the village and thinks the national limit starts where it was about 10 years (and 2 position changes) ago

[Another Bill]

We had a blanket 20 limit installed in my village a few years ago. 20 is more than fast enough on all the side roads but on the main road through (which is also a bus route) I'd estimate less than half stick to 20 (including the buses), and probably 15-20% don't keep below 30.

Local coucillors man an occasional speed watch on the brief 30 restiction entering the village but aren't allowed to conduct it in the 20.

With regard "intelligent" speed assist, my car "sees" invisible limit changes or signs in side roads, forgets the 20 restriction in the village and thinks the national limit starts where it was about 10 years (and 2 position changes) ago

notice one or two villages seem to have struck a compromise, whereby only the residential side roads have 20 limits. I could live with that approach, in our own village. In fact, I’m thinking of suggesting it, to placate the campaigners.

Thing is, when driving most of these side roads (single file, weaving between continuous cars parked on pavements and verges, lots of houses), no sensible driver will be going that fast regardless of speed limits, and might as well be NSL. So do these particular 20 limits actually serve any purpose at all?

Ref speed watch that explains why, driving through Wallingford a few weeks back they had a speed watch team on the Didcot road, which is still 30mph whereas town centre is now blanket 20. I noticed the drivers in that 30 limit spotted the speed watch team, and quickly slowed to sub 20mph.

[waremark]

What do we think might have happened here? I wondered whether in view of the signing which surely doesn't meet legal requirements there is no speed limit legally in force (other than the national, which is shown on the other side, both sides of the road).

Incidentally, a 30 limit is reasonable for the north Wales village I am entering, and that is what is shown on the signs at the other end of the village. I have heard that Wales is moving towards 20 as the default in built-up areas, but that is not apparent round where I am staying.

[jont-]

. I have heard that Wales is moving towards 20 as the default in built-up areas, but that is not apparent round where I am staying.

A week to go...
https://www.gov.wales/introducing-defau ... eed-limits

Good luck in border towns, where AIUI there will be no requirement for signage but the limit changes as you cross the border.

[jont-]

Thing is, when driving most of these side roads (single file, weaving between continuous cars parked on pavements and verges, lots of houses), no sensible driver will be going that fast regardless of speed limits, and might as well be NSL. So do these particular 20 limits actually serve any purpose at all?

No. But TPTB seem to have forgotten the concept of the limit being just that, the /maximum/ possible safe speed, and instead moving to it being a suitable speed most of the time. Even the speed limit setting rules have changed from 85th percentile to 50th. Yes folks, that's right, you can now set a speed limit at which half of traffic exceeds

If folk are that bad at picking a safe speed, why do we think putting a limit in is a better idea than educating them how to spot hazards, or signing the actual hazards appropriately?

[Don Basilio]

We have a chicane on the approach to our village and it doesn't last five minutes because HGVs from a nearby depot plough straight through it. But there is a lot to be said for hard landscaping. There is a lot of it done in France in quite an inventive manner

[Horse]

What do we think might have happened here? .

A cock-up. They happen.

Be interesting if there's a prosecution. Although don't do what a mate achieved. Successfully defended himself against an incorrect '30' limit by proving to the magistrates that he was doing 41 in a 40 Whoops

[angus]

notice one or two villages seem to have struck a compromise, whereby only the residential side roads have 20 limits. I could live with that approach, in our own village. In fact, I’m thinking of suggesting it, to placate the campaigners.

Thing is, when driving most of these side roads (single file, weaving between continuous cars parked on pavements and verges, lots of houses), no sensible driver will be going that fast regardless of speed limits, and might as well be NSL. So do these particular 20 limits actually serve any purpose at all?

That would've been the sensible option in my village. Likewise, in the side roads, due to hazards (cats children etc) 10mph is can be too fast

Ref speed watch that explains why, driving through Wallingford a few weeks back they had a speed watch team on the Didcot road, which is still 30mph whereas town centre is now blanket 20. I noticed the drivers in that 30 limit spotted the speed watch team, and quickly slowed to sub 20mph.

And if they don't notice the warning sign & people in hi-viz, they deserve it. I've said to the team to do it without warning signs & hi-viz to see what proportion of traffic exceeds the 30 but they aren't "allowed" to do that, even as an exercise

[jont-]

And if they don't notice the warning sign & people in hi-viz, they deserve it. I've said to the team to do it without warning signs & hi-viz to see what proportion of traffic exceeds the 30 but they aren't "allowed" to do that, even as an exercise

And no ignoring your friend/neighbour because they can't be that bad, can they? I'd put good money on it mostly being the locals whinging about the problem who are the main contributors to it.

[Strangely Brown]

Do you have any form of Community Speedwatch involvement with your local constabulary? i.e. a group of volunteers who are trained in the use of a handheld speed monitoring device and who from time to time will measure the speed of vehicles passing through. Those over the speed limit are noted and reported. They would then receive a letter / words of advice from the police with persistent offenders being tagged for a visit.

Normally I hate this type of busybody but they can, and often do, provide a deterrent in problem areas despite very often catching more locals than others.

Have you tried SID boards that display the speed for all to see? I would imagine they are not cheap but are likely more effective than blanket limit reduction that, as you already know, people will probably ignore in the same way they do 30.