Safe Speed Forums

DfT Here [quote=""DfT - Local and Regional Transport Minister Norman Baker]
Department for Transport 01/02/2011 10:25

New powers to help councils redraw the map
Local authorities will be given greater control over how their roads appear on maps and satnav systems - helping them to better direct traffic - under bureaucracy-cutting proposals set out today by Local and Regional Transport Minister Norman Baker.

At present, if a council wants to change the classification of one of its roads - for example downgrading an A road to a B road - it has to be approved by the Department for Transport.

The Government proposes devolving decision making to councils as they are best-placed to decide the classification of local roads. This would help them make clear to drivers which roads are most suitable for through-journeys, potentially reducing congestion on local routes.

Norman Baker said:
"The current system dates back to the 1960s and is a hangover from the days of Whitehall-knows-best. I believe in giving power to local people. This reform will cut red tape and mean councils can better control traffic in their area.
"They can ensure A roads are placed where they want traffic to run, and can lower the category of road in places they want traffic to avoid. By making it less onerous for councils to ensure road classification better reflects conditions on the ground, journeys will be easier to navigate.
"We are also using this as an opportunity to invite new ideas of tackling some of the problems caused by satnavs, for example lorries being directed down unsuitable roads. We want to hear suggestions as to how the current system could be improved - and how councils could better work with satnav companies."

Under the new system, councils will have control over road classification decisions in their area - including which roads should be used as primary routes - with no requirement to get approval from the DfT. The Department will only deal with contentious cases where there are serious disagreements about a council's decision.

Local authorities will be required to send a formal record of any changes to its road network to DfT but reporting will be streamlined - with the current eight forms replaced with one.

As part of the move to open up Government, for the first time policy about the road network and classification will be made available to the public. This will help motorists and communities to hold central and local government to account for their decisions.

This will also include our policies on detrunking and trunking - the process by which a local authority takes over a road from the Highways Agency (or vice versa). This will help explain why some roads are run nationally, and where they could be run locally.

The consultation, published today on the DfT website, will be open until May.

Contacts:NDS Enquiries Phone: For enquiries please contact the issuing dept Email: ndsenquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Notes to editors:
1. At present, the Department for Transport must approve all changes to roads classification (whether a road is an A road, a B road, a minor road or an unclassified road) and all changes to the Primary Route Network (major A roads that are coloured green on most maps).
2. Under the new approach, local authorities would have responsibility for road classification in their area.
3. The Department would maintain a list of 'primary destinations', but local authorities would decide by which routes they are best connected, working together where necessary.
4. The Department would remain responsible for the Strategic Road Network (motorways and major A-roads operated by the Highways Agency) in England.
5. The consultation can be found at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/2011-02/.
6. Roads classification and the Primary Route Network are a devolved matter in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
7. The consultation also invites suggestions on how local and central Government can better co-ordinate with satnav companies.

Public Enquiries: 0300 330 3000
Department for Transport Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk
www.twitter.com/transportgovuk | www.youtube.com/transportgovuk | www.flickr.com/transportgovuk[/quote]

_________________
Safe Speed for Intelligent Road Safety through proper research, experience & guidance.

This sounds like a classic case of allowing, even further, local councils to pander to the nimbys.

I now expect to see, good quality B roads being reclassified, to enable Mrs Smith to have the limit lowered past her house or even have the road made "access only".

_________________
My views do not represent Safespeed but those of a driver who has driven for 39 yrs, in all conditions, at all times of the day & night on every type of road and covered well over a million miles, so knows a bit about what makes for safety on the road,what is really dangerous and needs to be observed when driving and quite frankly, the speedo is way down on my list of things to observe to negotiate Britain's roads safely, but I don't expect some fool who sits behind a desk all day to appreciate that.

Agreed, it's likely to lead to arbitrary and inconsistent reclassification and renumbering, and a steady erosion of the road numbering system as a useful tool for route-planning and navigation.

Contrary to some press reports, it won't do anything to reduce SatNavs sending lorries down unsuitable roads, because such roads don't tend to be A or B roads in the first place.

In many areas, devolving decision-making to local councils may be a good thing, but in the field of road classification and numbering it isn't (and nor is it with speed limits).

_________________
"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

We already have some wide variations in speed limits for roads with similar characteristics and if local councils are going to have a free hand at deciding on road classifications then I can see this is only going to get worse. In Hampshire, a village seems to be interpreted as any road that has a few houses along it and in consequence we have 30mph limits on roads that pass by mainly fields that a few years ago were NSL.

Perhaps the problems lie in the lack of faith and trust in local Councils.
The way in which they spend funds.
The fact that they have made bad decisions in the past.
The impression seems to be that they have little time to properly consider all aspects of a topic ... although I am sure they try to do their best.
I think it will lead to great inconsistencies of road labelling and making it hard for all drivers.
Why not just increase the number of C roads and, or, use the existing weight limit sign to existing road labelling ?

_________________
Safe Speed for Intelligent Road Safety through proper research, experience & guidance.

In this context there's an example of local authority stupidity near to where I live.

Three or four years ago the Osgodby by-pass was constructed and opened for use. This is the road from Scarborough to Filey, numbered the A165. Naturally the new by-pass has been labelled A165 which is perfectly logical. Howver, the old road to Filey (which was the original A165) was known as Filey Road, and a large number of houses lie alongside that road between St. Michael's Lane and Osgodby Lane further to the south east. That section of road, about a mile long, has now been re-named Osgodby Hill, which means that all the people living along that road have had to change their address. It was quite unnecessary in inflict this inconvenience on residents in that area.

Best wishes all,
Dave.