There are yet more speed restrictions between Rhuthun/Ruthin and Wrexham. On and from October 24th, Wrecsam council extended its Coedpoeth 30 mph still further into the relatively new 40 mph zone. It was only from yesterday that it finished the job, by burning off extraneous 40 mph carriageway roundels which it had left within the new 30 zone.
Readers may recall that, coming from the Wrecsam direction, the Coedpoeth 30 mph zone used to finish at Five Crosses, Mwynglawdd/Minera. Thereafter, the national speed limit applied. Wrecsam extended the 30 mph beyond Five Crosses, past the Village Bakery, along the B5430 Ruthin Old Road, past Pen y Palmant and the opposite dairy farm to a point between Y Gegin and Cae Adar Lane. Unlike along the straight from Five Crosses to the Village Bakery junction, the Old Road 30 stretch was probably fair enough. Thereafter, Wrecsam imposed a 40 mph limit.
Now, the 30 mph continues on towards Four Crosses, over the crest and past Cae Adar Lane itself. Part of this road is tortuous but even so the limit seems low. At least there's no possibility of anyone overtaking.
The problem occurs after the crest, when visibility opens up again. The new 40 mph signs are set back too far north & west of Cae Adar Lane and either no one sticks to the 30 mph limit or, if they do, are immediately overtaken, which means cars enter the 40 at well over 40 mph.
Again, if the intent is road safety then by adopting a limit that few regard as justified means that the highway authority is at best encouraging and at worst actually promoting unsafe practices. From daily observation, it would therefore seem that the limits have the opposite effect to that intended.
On April 3rd, 2016, I put this point to both Wrecsam (regarding Ruthin Old Road) and Denbighshire (regarding the new limits through Llandegla). I received a prompt reply, on April 6th, from Wrecsam, the contents of which were not unexpected. Wrecsam cited the necessary approvals and political support. If I had concerns about speeding motorists, I should contact the police.
There seems little point in writing again over this, as I doubt the engineer concerned could offer anything further. It still remains a grave concern that the changes designed to make roads safer now do the opposite.
The same situation applies along the A525 at Llandegla. 223 days later, in spite of a reminder, I am still awaiting a reply from Denbighshire on this.
The problem occurs after the crest, when visibility opens up again. The new 40 mph signs are set back too far north & west of Cae Adar Lane and either no one sticks to the 30 mph limit or, if they do, are immediately overtaken, which means cars enter the 40 at well over 40 mph.
Again, if the intent is road safety then by adopting a limit that few regard as justified means that the highway authority is at best encouraging and at worst actually promoting unsafe practices. From daily observation, it would therefore seem that the limits have the opposite effect to that intended.
There seems little point in writing again over this, as I doubt the engineer concerned could offer anything further. It still remains a grave concern that the changes designed to make roads safer now do the opposite.
The same situation applies along the A525 at Llandegla. 223 days later, in spite of a reminder, I am still awaiting a reply from Denbighshire on this.
Tags:
Traffic