... designed to drive us mad.
If you are a regular reader, by now you will know our stance on road traffic speeds. We say the town centre should have a blanket 20mph restriction. We say that all housing estates off main roads should, as well (e.g. Maes Hafod, Parc Brynhyfryd, Bro Deg, etc). Elsewhere, that's a different story and will depend on the merits or otherwise of the road itself. We have seen some ridiculous limits which, frankly, are plain nuts.
So, we commend the designation of Ffordd yr Wyddgrug/Mold Road as 20mph during school start and finish times.
We applaud the commissioning of the average speed cameras to enforce the 50mph limit on the A5104.
We condemn the 40mph limit near Llandegla as unnecessary and unneeded. No one sticks to it, it simply infuriates drivers and frustration results in injudicious manœuvres which, frankly, negate the limit. 50mph would seem much more suitable. Farther along, in Wrecsam, along the Gwynfryn road, the 30mph limit, apart from the narrows, is excessively long and drivers keep to it even less. Here, 40mph would seem more acceptable and would probably have a chance of success.
So it came to pass this week that Llanbedr DC gained its new 30mph limit. Why? Consistency, says the Welsh government. We now have to suffer a 30mph limit through the road for about one mile. There is a case for 30mph at the Griffin but after that we aren't sure. Replacing the entire 40mph with 30 is tenuous at best and extreme at worst. To all too many motorists, the area didn't have a 40mph "feel" to it, let alone one for 30. Traffic entering Llanbedr from the east naturally slowed at the Tan yr Unto bends. That departing had an opportunity to overtake slow moving vehicles after the bends and many, many motorists accelerated well over 40mph to do so... because they sensed that it was safe to.
All the new limit will do is antagonise, irritate and infuriate. We all know that it will be ignored, not because motorists are particularly prone to criminal behaviour but because the limit makes no sense and because, frankly, the terrain shouts something completely different.
So, we commend the designation of Ffordd yr Wyddgrug/Mold Road as 20mph during school start and finish times.
We applaud the commissioning of the average speed cameras to enforce the 50mph limit on the A5104.
We condemn the 40mph limit near Llandegla as unnecessary and unneeded. No one sticks to it, it simply infuriates drivers and frustration results in injudicious manœuvres which, frankly, negate the limit. 50mph would seem much more suitable. Farther along, in Wrecsam, along the Gwynfryn road, the 30mph limit, apart from the narrows, is excessively long and drivers keep to it even less. Here, 40mph would seem more acceptable and would probably have a chance of success.
Constant reminders as painted on the A494 at Llenbedr will do nothing to quell inevitable traffic speeds
So it came to pass this week that Llanbedr DC gained its new 30mph limit. Why? Consistency, says the Welsh government. We now have to suffer a 30mph limit through the road for about one mile. There is a case for 30mph at the Griffin but after that we aren't sure. Replacing the entire 40mph with 30 is tenuous at best and extreme at worst. To all too many motorists, the area didn't have a 40mph "feel" to it, let alone one for 30. Traffic entering Llanbedr from the east naturally slowed at the Tan yr Unto bends. That departing had an opportunity to overtake slow moving vehicles after the bends and many, many motorists accelerated well over 40mph to do so... because they sensed that it was safe to.
The only time traffic observed the 30mph limit during my walk through Llanbedr was when following this L E Jones wagon. Otherwise, there was zero compliance... and some were travelling at least at 50 and 60mph
All the new limit will do is antagonise, irritate and infuriate. We all know that it will be ignored, not because motorists are particularly prone to criminal behaviour but because the limit makes no sense and because, frankly, the terrain shouts something completely different.
Tags:
Traffic