Safe Speed Forums

Lately I've done a fair amount of driving around places where I used to live/drive a few years ago. And in all honesty the amount of speed limit reductions, particularly on rural A roads is just shocking. There have been loads of 60-40/50 reductions on roads just because they're a bit bendy.

In my mind this just simply dumbs down driving. Just because there are a series of bends on a rural which can't be taken at 60 should not mean the speed limit should be cut. Otherwise, what's the point in all those sharp bend signs which we've got used to in previous years?

But it seems in many places across the country, NSLs on A roads are becoming an increasingly rare sight and I just wonder how much longer the single-carriageway 60 limit is going to last. I can see the government being more and more tempted to just lower it to 50 or 40.

Anyone else agree?

It does vary very much across the country, but certainly there are places like Oxfordshire, Surrey and much of Lancashire where single-carriageway NSLs (at least on A and B roads) are as rare as hen's teeth now.

Still plenty in North Yorkshire, Durham and (perhaps surprisingly) North Wales.

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"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

This trend is to do with local busybodies continually moaning to the local councillors (or they are the local councillors). Just look at any parish magazine and you will see the "they all speed through my village" statements.

Still, don't worry, the chances of getitng caught late at night on a rural A road is pretty small.

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Malcolm W.
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not represent the views of Safespeed.

The roads don't even have to be bendy; they can be so straight and wide that a parallel carriageway can be built alongside and the road converted to a high-quality D2. Local authorities often use accidents in forcing lower limits in. Of course, it's all a load of hot air; one person gets killed and they jump on the bandwagon to be seen as taking action.

I see NSL reduction by stealth, but in a rural area this may not happen to the roads that would actually warrant it; i.e. country lanes.

I know somewhere where there is a single track lane with a 90º blind bend (with a junction on it) and that's NSL. Get to the main road which is wide enough to have 3 lanes and it has a 50mph limit. It's all crazy and makes no sense.

The Wessex Way, Holes Bay road and the A31 now, all are 2 lane dual carageways (wide lanes, central barrier) have 50mph limits on them for no apparent reason. Except they're all camera sites now.

I have been noticing that generally roads still at NSL are the ones where it's never safe to do 60.

This is why I don't trust speed limits and generally ignore then and make my own mind up about what speed feels safe. And I've never hit anything yet. (unlike a certain DSCP van )

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Andrew.

Been there, done that... some in Cumbria are calling for a blanket 40 limit in the National Park.

See here
for our 40mph A road, and NSL narrow lane!

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Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!

I think the days of 'speed kills' policy and endless speed limit reductions are numbered. Really.

They have been doing it for over a decade and look at the results. Blind faith hasn't save lives or hospital admissions. What more proof could anyone demand?

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

You’re right Paul, but they don’t need proof, they already know, it’s all about money and they will carry on running their business as usual. This government is riding rough shot over the British people but they don’t see it. And I don’t really know what can be done about it (unless there was a civil war).

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Useless laws weaken necessary laws.

I've met quite a few politicians in the course of my Safe Speed work. There's no possibility that they are 'working to a plan'. They are trying to do the right thing in a headless chicken / inadequate data kind of way.

It's our job to point out the fundamental problems and slowly but surely we will get the right result. There's a lot going on behind the scenes.

If we can ever get our hands on decent resources, we'll be able to bring it to a head quite quickly now.

Don't forget every little helps! Please support the Safe Speed campaign! Click my sig.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

I certainly hope so.



Just ask a polititian, who used to drive but gets nicely chauffered around London, to.........well drive him/herself somewhere outside London for once and then make him/her happily say that everythings fine if you don't exceed the speed limit

Are there any corporations with the funds who would be interested in achieving such an end.

Logic dictates that there must be. Finding them is a real bitch when you don't have talents in the area of fundraising.

The Safe Speed campaign is desperate for assistance in this area. Anyone? Please? Pretty please? Pretty pretty please?

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety