URGENT - A50 speed limit reduction - have your say

[Oxfordfox83]

Sorry for capitals, but the deadline for this consultation is tomorrow (Friday 17th June).

 

The Council is planning to impose a blanket 40mph speed limit across the M40 from County Hall to Field Head, and to remove turning points at 9 locations along the way.

 

I don't live in Leicester any more, but am from Glenfield, and this road is the only way to head north for half the city. It's wide and safe, but inexplicably has numerous speed cameras, which seem to be 'hidden' - the aim is not to improve safety, but to raise cash.

 

Reducing the speed limit across the board will increase congestion, reduce safety (as some will adhere religiously, some will do a normal speed and brake for cameras, and it's been shown that people lose concentration when the speed limit is too low), and add to people's journey times along a major route for many people in Leicester.

 

If you'd like to voice your opinion, read more here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100012443012290 and comment here: http://leicestershire.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/road-safety/proposed-reduction-in-a50-speed-limit

 

Cheers,

 

Oxfordfox

[Nick]

The 40 limit is usually about getting planning permission to build more housing.....

[MrSpaM]

The people causing this are the one's that live in that little housing bit between Groby and Field Head, where the speed camera is. They campaigned to get the speed camera put there in the first place years ago claiming it was too dangerous to turn into their estate where the traffic lights are.

[Stadt]

Done, daft proposal.

[Bellend Sebastian]

Has anyone looked at the accident record for that stretch?  I can think of three fatals in recent years (one a couple of months ago), and there's all the times it's been shut because of lorries taking the roundabout outside the tip too fast.

 

This is the least surprising proposal ever, I'm amazed it's taken this long.  I bet that road gets shut because of accidents WAY more than average

[Thracian]

I'm surprised at the reaction on here so far - I've always got the impression that everyone in Leicester wants the speed limit to be about 10mph and Soulsby and Co do everything they can to make sure that happens.

 

Clearly either the County council wants money desperately or are determined to compete with the City Council in making life as miserable as they can for motorists.

 

Quite why they even bother with driving tests I don't know considering they don't seem prepared to trust people to drive according to the conditions and situation anyway. I'm surprised they don't insist on taxiing you in like the Mother Hens thye are.   

 

If anyone can't negotiate the A50 with the aid of the standard national speed limit for a dual carriageway they shouldn't be driving at all. If there's a genuine reason rather than it being a revenue collecting ploy I don't know why they don't set it at 5mph and turn it into a footpath.

 

All a lot of these schemes do is force drivers into taking unsuitable but less annoying alternative routes - when the road works don't serve to snooker them completely.

 

       .         

[Thracian]

Has anyone looked at the accident record for that stretch?  I can think of three fatals in recent years (one a couple of months ago), and there's all the times it's been shut because of lorries taking the roundabout outside the tip too fast.

 

This is the least surprising proposal ever, I'm amazed it's taken this long.  I bet that road gets shut because of accidents WAY more than average

 

 

 

How much road space would you say is safe then? Perhaps the accidents were caused by people looking out for speed cameras instead of concentrating on the way ahead! What with traffic lights and all sorts of warning signs as well, it's hardly a peaceful drive anymore!    

[abc]

I'm completely in favour of closing the gaps in the central reservation. I use this road twice a day and cringe when I see people trying to use the gaps to turn right etc. Closing the gaps will reduce the number of accidents. People will have to add 2 mins to their journey by going up to the roundabouts instead.

 

Changing the speed limit won't change much though. The 40 and 50 limit is not overly adhered to (includes me sometimes), so a flat 40mph will be the same. For me the present system is about right. NSL where there are no houses. 50 where there are sporadic houses and 40 where more built up.

[yorkie1999]

Has anyone looked at the accident record for that stretch?  I can think of three fatals in recent years (one a couple of months ago), and there's all the times it's been shut because of lorries taking the roundabout outside the tip too fast.

 

This is the least surprising proposal ever, I'm amazed it's taken this long.  I bet that road gets shut because of accidents WAY more than average

How can there be any accidents on it, the speed cameras have been put there to prevent accidents.

[Strokes]

I don't understand why everyone rushes about so much, I travel around all day every day and try to stick to speed limits. I've always got an aggressive twat far to close up my arse end. They drive past full of rage and stressed out, I just don't understand why you would get so worked up. Maybe you should try leaving in plenty of time?

[Bettsj2]

I don't understand why everyone rushes about so much, I travel around all day every day and try to stick to speed limits. I've always got an aggressive twat far to close up my arse end. They drive past full of rage and stressed out, I just don't understand why you would get so worked up. Maybe you should try leaving in plenty of time?

Agree with this.

I stick to the speed limit and always get some idiot up my arse and overtaking dangerously. More often than not I always pull up behind them at the next lights or junction.

It just isnt worth it.

[Strokes]

Agree with this.

I stick to the speed limit and always get some idiot up my arse and overtaking dangerously. More often than not I always pull up behind them at the next lights or junction.

It just isnt worth it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a boring old fart just yet. I'd happily take a quad or trail bike out for blast and get that adrenaline pumping, I just don't understand someone doing it on the roads, it's not the time or place. These people need a proper hobby.

[fuchsntf]

I used to love the A50 (new parks lad), My first travelling adventures, walking, cycling, horse riding were experienced

on this road.But...lets be honest the whole city links , the needed organisation has changed.

Where within the real city bounds, leading to county bounds is it/should it be possible to drive

Faster than 50mph.The traffic and infrastructure just doesnt allow it..Stop- goes, traffic lights, dozos in

the wrong lane, Police traps...Going for a Burton surely takes on a different meaning..

Top gear attitudes dont win you points, others have to use the road, though some engineering management

issues, do compound traffic flow and cross-movements.fKed organisation, but hey its Britain.

Just love German roads...

.

[Thracian]

Agree with this.

I stick to the speed limit and always get some idiot up my arse and overtaking dangerously. More often than not I always pull up behind them at the next lights or junction.

It just isnt worth it.

 

 

It's a dual carriageway - why would anyone be annoying you when overtaking? 

[Thracian]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a boring old fart just yet. I'd happily take a quad or trail bike out for blast and get that adrenaline pumping, I just don't understand someone doing it on the roads, it's not the time or place. These people need a proper hobby.

 

 

 

Apparently it's been shown that some people get drowsy and lose concentration more easily when driving slowly than quickly, something to do with their metabolism.

And driving becomes more dangerous in crowded conditions because, for all that you'd seem to like everyone to drive as you chose, they don't.

So you hold people up, the tailback gets longer and the journey gets irritating because instead of being smooth and swift you're forever having to think about braking and accelerating for others moving in and out of the lines of traffic.

Plus there will be more vehicles at every traffic lights encouraging sprints to beat the lights.  

It won't matter much in the fairly near future anyway because all vehicles will be modelled in the image of car-hating politicians and will do the driving for you.

Doubtless the journey will take longer than right now in case the car develops a fault and rams whatever's nearest causing  the police to close the road for three years until investigations are completed, including extensive interviews with the inanimate driver who will keep answering "no comment".

Further time will need to be allowed for because of compulsory stops at all park-and-side schemes en route where they'll play you an "encouragement video" promoting the idea of leaving you car at home.           

[Buce]

Agree with this.

I stick to the speed limit and always get some idiot up my arse and overtaking dangerously. More often than not I always pull up behind them at the next lights or junction.

It just isnt worth it.

There's a time and a place for that kind of thing, and when you're driving isn't it.

[Vardinhio]

Heading north on the A50 towards Coalville are there actually any fixed cameras? Yes there are two heading in to the city and for good reason as the accident rate there is appalling

[Parafox]

Has anyone looked at the accident record for that stretch?  I can think of three fatals in recent years (one a couple of months ago), and there's all the times it's been shut because of lorries taking the roundabout outside the tip too fast.

 

This is the least surprising proposal ever, I'm amazed it's taken this long.  I bet that road gets shut because of accidents WAY more than average

 

I think the fatality your referring to recently happened outside the hospital and was a pedestrian crossing the road having got off a bus and not using a crossing.

 

Personally I have attended three fatal accidents in 30 years, two happened before the speed cameras and traffic lights were put up near the bend where the crane depot is. The other was on the Flying horse island. I'm not aware of any greater than average road closures on the whole A50. In fact there are more serious/fatal accidents on the road between Nanpantan and Markfield.

 

The overturned lorries are mostly due to driver error and the slight adverse camber on the city-bound side of that Island.

 

For me the current limits are about right, as said by someone else. The only change I would make would be 40 between New Parks Way and the A46 junctions. It's a major arterial road between the city and the M1 and traffic needs to be free moving. It's also a dual carriageway where the max speed limit is 70 along the majority of its length. Reducing that limit by over 50% is unlikely to reduce any serious incidents by any significant amount because there aren't that many in the first place.

 

Oh, and RESURFACE THE STRETCH BETWEN NPW and FOSSE ROAD NORTH!!!!!

[Finnegan]

Thracian won't be happy until the roads of Britain look a bit like Mad Max, with people driving everywhere shitfaced at 120mph and no actual laws to guide them.

[DB11]

Heading north on the A50 towards Coalville are there actually any fixed cameras? Yes there are two heading in to the city and for good reason as the accident rate there is appalling

 

I'm sure there aren't; I've never received an NIP northbound anyway

[abc]

Average speed cameras are on their way. Signs are up and Groby Spotlight has the local councilor talking about the final stages of the tendering process for the cameras.

[Livid]

9 minutes ago, abc said:

Average speed cameras are on their way. Signs are up and Groby Spotlight has the local councilor talking about the final stages of the tendering process for the cameras.

It would help, what they have at the moment is totally pointless.

 

Everyone only slows down for the two fixed camera's on the City bound carriage way and when the mobile traps are deployed they are always in the same place, Just down from the Field Head Island, City bound and just after the brow of the hill coming up from Groby the other way.

 

To get people to slow down they really do need the average speed cameras or need to mix it up a bit.

 

Just a question on front facing camera's how do they ever get anyone speeding on a bike with no front reg plate?

[Sir Shep]

I grew up in this part of Groby and I'm all for this, sick to death of all these idiots treating it like a motorway. 

 

There was a fatal accident last year that killed a mother and daughter due to speed as well as many bad accidents on the Lena drive junction. 

 

Slow down you gimps. 

[abc]

22 hours ago, Livid said:

....the mobile traps are deployed they are always in the same place, Just down from the Field Head Island,

Agreed, the number of times a Lewis Hamilton flies towards the city around that first corner and the speed van is not there boils my parsnips.