Manchester Evening and other local press tonight wrote:
Speed humps 'bad for environment'
25/ 1/2008
THEY may be popular with residents wanting to slow traffic in their street, but research has shown speed humps are bad for the environment.
The traffic calming measure, widely used in residential areas, can increase fuel consumption by 47% on 30mph roads, a study commissioned by the AA has found.
The study, carried out by an independent engineer and car tester, found that the average car achieves 58.15 miles per gallon (mpg) at a steady speed of 30mph.
But when going over humps, it will reach only 30.85mpg.
The results were calculated by averaging the results of two cars.
It also found that cutting the speed limit from 30mph to 20mph pumps up CO2 emissions by 10%.
The research is the first in the AA's new Fuel for Thought campaign.
The motoring organisation said that it accepted that 20mph speed limits in residential areas are popular and improve safety.
But while a 20mph limit along shorter roads with junctions and roundabouts can reduce fuel consumption, a 30mph limit on local distributor roads may be more environmentally friendly.
Edmund King, the AA's president, said: "Transport and highways planners have little or no official guidance on the environmental impact of 20 mph speed limits.
"It would be a bitter and unpalatable irony if local authorities, that have targeted owners of larger vehicles with environmental charges, are found guilty of pumping up CO2 emissions through indiscriminate use of 20 mph restrictions."
Hah.. we always come back to what our great grandparents/grandparents thought
Times tables learned by sing-song chanting ..
. ... "teaching to read by "ah-bu-ku-du-eh-fuh-guh" (called a trendy name like "artificial phonics" - but basically how I recall being taught to read
"pop" was Tango.. Irn Bru.. Tizer..Lucozade.. Coca/Pepsi Cola.. Ginger Beer.. Dandelion and Burdock .. Lemonade.. Orangeade.. Orangina etc
Local farmer delivers our milk. He takes our empties. This always happened in my boyhood in Hawes too.
I recall buying a bottle of "Dandelion and Burdock pop" - paying an old 3d bit as "deposit for the bottle and redeemed only if I returned the empty and did not buy another bottle of "pop"
(I was about 7 -ish .. and it was "Bye Bye Bob" in 1971 when we went "decimal currency" and I was but a babe at school but had still suffered £ s d sums
with 12 pennies to a pound.. tuppence..tanners;. half crowns .. shillings and florins.. Ye Gods .. must have been bright then to work out all that and keep enough pocket money to buy the odd car for me Scalextric
and penny chews. sherbets .. and flying saucers
But we will come full circle as to why 30 mph and above was deemed "best" by our ancestors. Hate to admit that Grandad was right though
When I think back though.. they recycled with style and real meaning and got the value from their thrift. I do not throw away much.. and we never ever waste food or fuel in our houshold either.
I (and probably all my family and the Swiss relatives too) are all probably a lot "greener"
in lifestyle than those claiming they are protecting the planet by cycling around London
But we have 20mph limits in some villages. We abide by them as some are "tourist/rambler" spots and you would be at low speed as matter of common sense.
Where it is really silly and police and even our submarinated speedfinder general "fiend"
agree
Ambleside Moronic token cycle lane and .. believe me.. you have to be suicidal to try to ride within it.
This path .. lip service to a target. Nothing safe about it. No one complies with the 20 mph and the one who did ..the other driver alerted the police as it suggested "incapacitated"
The cyclists ride normally. The drivers behave normally when faced with a cyclist... and most here allow space and time for our tourists and cyclists here
The 20 mph and the cycle lane are just "result of penspusher meeting some mindless target". Nowt to do with road safety whatsoever. I am still fencing with these council idiots and I think I am drawing blood too
(He lurks.. he's used to our "cheeky banter"
- but still gets wound up
as we tend to hit the target
and he's no answers
)
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