20 mph Road Signs Painted Out - Long Lane

[Cabriolet]

Today the 20 mph signs were painted out along Long Lane/Orford Green. Does this mean 30 mph is back in force?

 

Anyone know why the sudden turn-around? What another waste of money that was!

[kevofaz25]

The speed limit signs in town are also sprayed out- it seems the "experiment" to restrict speed limits was for 18 months which is now up. The council may extend it later in the year.

 

30mph it is then...

[wahl]

the original speed limits have been restored until the statistics reviewing the effectiveness of 20 mph can be assessed. It is estimated that a report will be ready for October.

however beware as the cycling nuts will be out in force trying to make every road 20mph.

log into the wbc web and register your comments about the uselessness and waste of money in the experiment.

[disgusted]

Where can I do this wahl? I have looked through the site but maybe I've missed it, can you give us a link?

[Dizzy]

Why have they just spray painted the centres of some of the 20mph signs out in grey paint ??

 

I thought they had just been vandalised

 

Why havent they just put 30 mph stickers over the 20 so that everyone knows what the actual speed limit is now ?

[Cabriolet]

I thought they'd been vandalised too - that's why I asked the question on here.

[Bill]

Well at least they?ve chosen a relatively inexpensive way of cancelling their ?test? while at the same time ensuring it?s a simple matter to remove the paint when they make the signs permanent. Bet this confuses the hell out of the local vandals who now have to remove paint in order to vandalise the signs.

 

Bill

[Dizzy]

[Bazj]

I see Rod King has been bleating in the Guardian about it being cancelled.....

 

20 isn't plenty....... it may be on back roads, but not on main roads like Long Lane.

[wahl]

try wbc web site

 

http://consultations.warrington.gov.uk/warrington/KMS/news.aspx?DiscussionGroupId=0&strTab=Discussions&NoIP=1

[Peter T]

It seems that the editor has to approve your comments before they will be posted.

[Bazj]

It seems that the editor has to approve your comments before they will be posted.

 

Editing by moderators.... whatever next!!

[Peter T]

At least on here we edit AFTER the post.

[Dizzy]

Clicked the link and there are only two comments one from 13 Jul 2010 and one from 10 Jul 2009. Thats a YEAR's difference.

 

Does that class as full consultation and involving the public then

 

Never even knew that WBC's website has a dedicated area for online consultations anyway... must have a nosey

[Peter T]

Perhaps if the comments are critical, they don't get put up?

[AdrianR]

I see Rod King has been bleating in the Guardian about it being cancelled.....

 

20 isn't plenty....... it may be on back roads, but not on main roads like Long Lane.

 

Dont know why he's complaining. It was always a trial period and at the end of the trial, the data is analysed. Being a bit presumptive as they mightr well come back although i agree that the side roads would benefit but not Long lane / Park Road

[Peter T]

If he had his way, there wouldn't be a car on the roads.

[rodk]

For those who wish to know why I was complaining :-

 

Well my basic complaint was that the pilots provided very little modelling of a town-wide 20 mph limit for residential roads as the compliance on isolated areas and streets will be less than when you have a consistent speed limit on residential streets across the town and where almost everyone benefits from a 20 mph limit on their street.

 

I also believed that it was somewhat badly planned not to allow a period for analysis before the ending of the Experimental Traffic Order. This would have allowed continuity in the event of deciding that the lower speed limits were appropriate.

 

Since the Warrington pilots were planned in 2007 there has been far greater evidence available of how well they work in the UK. Indeed the DfT has even issued new guidelines to encourage local authorities to set 20 mph for all streets that are residential in nature or have high volumes of pedestrians and cyclists.

 

And for Peter T, I would correct him and say that I am all in favour of people using their cars on the roads. I even use mine more than I walk or cycle. But I do think that all of us should use our cars in a way that respects those who wish to walk or cycle. And that means reducing our speed to 20 mph where people live.

 

It makes hardly any difference to journey times yet increases the quality and options in life for the many other people we share our communities with. Surely no great imposition in this age of a "Big Society".

 

Best regards

 

Rod

[Dizzy]

As most of Warrington (apart from the Town Centre) is now residential are you suggesting that every street/road/avenue goes down to 20mph regardless if whether it is an major 'A' road, a 'B' road or any other road ?

 

Saying that on some of the roads through the town centre it would be nice to get upto 20pmh every now and again at peak hours

[Bazj]

Rod,

 

The big problem with your holier than thou attitude to implimenting this 20 mph nonsense is the fact that you always seem to think it should be enforced by the Police with fines and bans for the reckless motorist who dares to break the limits.

 

As I have said, the 20 mph on residential roads which are proper residential roads in the true sense and not as Dizzy points out; main roads with houses on, is a good idea, but where do you want to stop? why not 10mph or 5mph? 10mph works on motorway sites where contractors can only drive at 10mph.... I once drove the whole length of the M6 Toll motorway when it was being built at 15mph.... they had speed cameras on there and anyone speeding was kicked off site!!

 

In germany, their drivers will quite happily slow down when approaching a school or a town or whatever, but they get the option to drive at unlimited speeds on part o their motorway network, and you very rarely see a copper... a good trade off?

 

But seriously, campaign as much as you like for the 20mph near schools and in housing estates, but leave the main roads alone, the traffic is bad enough as it is without slowing it down any more!

[Bill]

Most reasonable people don?t object to 20mph in the residential areas but it?s the arterial routes that cause the issues. Ask any resident of Long Lane if they think the ideas good and they?ll all probably agree but that in itself proves nothing because given the chance, virtually everyone would like for cars to drive slower past their homes.

 

A balance needs to struck between safety and the inconvenience caused but balance in these matters is almost impossible to achieve especially where we have a largely silent majority pitted against a small but powerful pressure group.

 

Bill

[rodk]

Dizzy

 

I have never suggested that all arterial roads should be 20mph. I have suggested that any residential roads by default should be 20mph and where these are arterial roads then the traffic authority should be free to set an alternative limit (30, 40 or even 50) based upon the conditions prevailing.

 

Baz

 

If you think that 20mph is nonsense then I would not expect you to be in favour of police enforcement. Actually, only a light touch is required when such implementations go through the full democratice process. This sort of debate all helps in identifying the advantages and disadvantages of lower or higher speed limits.

 

I think I have a reasonable track record of being focussed on 20 mph and have no intention of campaigning for a limit of 10mph or 5mph.

 

The speed limits on German motorways have very little relevence to residential roads in Warrington shared by motorists, pedestrians, cyclist, people in their gardens, etc.

 

Bill

 

Thanks for the support on 20mph on residential areas. With regards to arterial routes, you know that I have posted repeatedly that our campaign is not for a blanket use of 20mph only a default use of 20mph. I am sure that if those campaigning for 30mph limits on Long Lane can justify the advantages of such a speed limit then this will be taken into consideration by the local authority. But at the same time it will have to balance this against the fact that there are schools and colledges on this road with many young road users who have to walk or cycle along that road if they are to have any independent mobility. Getting to the end of the queue of traffic at the A49 junction a second or so quicker to then wait a second or two longer may well not be seen as much of a benefit of a higher speed limit.

 

I agree about the large majority. I guess it includes children, elderly, disabled, parents who would prefer not to have to drive their kids to school, the emergency services mopping up after accidents, and those who are simply fed up with cars going faster than necessary. But maybe that group are really not so silent any more. Other communities have shown that lower speeds where people live do work and result in a better quality of life for all.

 

I guess I had better post this now before soemone gives me something else to reply to.

 

 

 

My best regards

 

Rod

[Peter T]

I live on an estate that is 20mph. In fact I was one of the people who helped get it put in. The only problem being is that not everyone has 20 on their speedo.

To have it on main roads is absurd.

I have said before on this subject, we can't get people to observe 30, and with all the talk of doing away with speed cameras, how can it be enforced. Saying that is up to the police, is a nonsense. there is also talk of reducing them.

[observer]

If you exceed 10mph, never mind 20mph, in some residential areas; you would wreck your suspension on the road humps.

[kevofaz25]

what is the pure definition of a residential road??

 

You could make the argument that Cromwell Avenue, Sankey Way and Manchester Road are residentail as they pass through residential areas- likewise the A57 and A562 in Sankey and Penketh- are these to be reduced to 20 mph also?

 

It seems we are being forced- yet again- to have reduced speed limits onstead of thinking a wee bit more creatively.