Safe Speed Forums

Do speed limits save lives?

The A140 in Suffolk has been branded one of the region's most dangerous roads, with 76 deaths in the past 25 years. The latest fatal crash, on October 30, claimed the lives of 24-year-old pub manageress Kirsty Cracknell and 21-year-old car repairer James Smy.

It happened within a new 40mph buffer zone at Brockford, near Eye, and brought renewed calls for the present system of variable speed limits on the Suffolk stretch to be abandoned.

Introduced in June 2004, the measures include a 50mph maximum limit and new 30 and 40mph zones at Brome, Brockford Street and the Stonhams. It has brought an overall reduction in casualties and looks set to become permanent next month despite heavy opposition.

There have now been three fatalities this year, sparking claims that Suffolk should be doing more to reduce the dangers.

The A140 is a major strategic route, connecting the two key centres of Norwich and Ipswich, and vital to the local economy and future prosperity of the region. But in Suffolk, drivers face narrow windy roads through villages, with just one dual carriageway section near the A14 intersection at Coddenham. There have been no major schemes over the past two decades.

Norfolk, by contrast, has benefited from A140 bypasses at Dickleburgh and Scole during the 1990s and another bottleneck will be removed when the county council completes its planned £25m dual-carriageway bypass at Long Stratton. Work could start next year, subject to government funding.

South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon is just one of the influential voices saying that having a proper road infrastructure is essential to the region's future development, and there was a danger the A140 would not be up to standard.

He said: "My impression from people who use the road is that the Suffolk policy is resulting in frustration that makes drivers' behaviour worse.

"If you talk to Norfolk traffic police, they will say our method is better than Suffolk's.

"The A140 is major arterial route through the heart of my constituency and dualling it is something that will obviously have to be considered in due course."

The problems are already putting some people off.

For one, Norwich City football fan, the Rev Canon Graham Hedger, chaplain to the Bishop of Ipswich and St Edmundsbury, is boycotting the Suffolk stretch because he says it is more dangerous with the different speed limits imposed. He makes a detour along country roads and rejoins the A140 on the Norfolk/Suffolk border near Diss every time he drives from his home, near Wickham Market, to attend home games at Carrow Road.

He said: "All the speed changes are crazy. Road safety is so important. I have buried enough people over the years."

Among others, there has also been fierce criticism, following the latest fatalities, from parish councillors at Thorndon, who are campaigning for improvements to the notorious A140 White Horse crossroads.

In a letter to County Hall, the parish council said: "Suffolk County Council's attitude to improving safety has been disgraceful.

"It has opted for the cheapest solution - tinkering with speed limits, which are rarely monitored or enforced - and has failed to take action at one of the most dangerous junctions on the road."

In this day and age, it seems bizarre, to say the least, that the A140 - the main route between Norwich and Ipswich - still does not come up to par, given the sheer volume of traffic and the growth of the region's two commercial capitals. Basically a single carriageway, it often becomes congested.

But then it is not alone. Norfolk is still badly served by its major roads.

Only the A11 comes close to being fully dualled, with work now starting on the Attleborough bypass following a hard-fought campaign, but another wait in hand till 2008-9 which has been pencilled in for the final stretch between Barton Mills and Thetford.

And the A47 desperately needs improving as the death toll continues to rise, while the A17 to the north from King's Lynn needs upgrading along most of its route.

Meanwhile, Suffolk County Council's rights of way committee has recomm-ended the temporary speed limits on its section of the A140 should remain in force, despite the fact that 79pc of people who took part in a public consultation want the 60mph limit reinstated.

A review of all the speed limits on the stretch has also been recommended in light of concerns from Suffolk police that the constant changes cause confusion.

A final decision on the committee's recommendations will be made during a meeting of the county council's Cabinet on December 8. Possible junction improvements at Stoke Ash will be considered at a later date.

I lived on the Norfolk\Suffolk border for some 6 years in my youth(long time for me, usually 3 years max, my father was in the RAF), and revisited the area just a couple of weeks ago just to see the places I used to go, see how things had changed etc.

I must say the A140 was one of the worst roads I had driven in a long time, by the time I reached Norwich I was a nervous wreck! The limits change frequently and there are all manner of cameras and signs – the worst of which was a VAS that told me to slow down when I was doing 50 in a 60! It seemed this was placed by a junction but instead of me thinking oh there’s a junction up ahead I was more worried about the speed I was doing, what was the speed limit (I correctly thought it was a 60 but this thing made me wonder (and panic a little)), what speed was I doing (check speedo) and were there any cameras about (look everywhere except the road ahead).

That is just one example, the whole of Norfolk’s roads seem the same, with locals getting very frustrated with people (like me) sticking to the 40 limit on a road that is very naturally NSL because they are worried about cameras!

I thought we had it bad in South Wales, but Norfolk is much, much worse, I am not surprised that road is so dangerous, or any of their other roads for that matter. I have a letter to the local tourist board I have written explaining why I will not be going back, this has provided the impetus to send it, thank you.

Paul

It's a bit like the South West section of the M25. One day there's a 70 limit, the next it's 50 (even though conditions appear to be the same).
Also. the A102 out of Blackwall Tunnel going North- it's an M-class A-road, and the 50 limit (already far to low) is now 40. And, at a particularly messy interchange where you need every bit of attention focussed on what's happening around you, guess what. yep, a GATSO.