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Lum
PostPosted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 23:21 
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Anyone know anything about this. Noticed today that matrix signs were up stating that this stretch will be a 50 limit. Apart from the seemingly permanent roadworks from J28-J30 and the roadworks on the roundabout a J24 there really doesn't seem to be any point in this at all. There's one slightly twisty bit between J27 and J28 which isn't much more difficult than the ones at the top of the M5.

Is it just because of more roadworks or are they just trying to clog up south wales? Is this to help with the new M4 toll road they're planning to build?
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PeterE
PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 15:37 
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http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/forum/vie ... 20#p424920

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I understand - from a source I won't name here - that the M4 Newport Bypass is to get a permanent 50mph limit as part of the fallout from the effective cancellation of the new M4 past there.

The word is that the economic downturn (yuck, sorry) has caused a rethink in Cardiff and the Welsh Assembly has decided it now can't afford the M4 Bypass south of Newport. Having kicked it into the long grass, it's now desperately trying to increase the lifespan of the existing bypass. One measure is to lower the speed limit to pack more vehicles through it.

:x

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PeterE
PostPosted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 18:37 
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It appears that it will in fact only be a temporary limit until Summer 2010:

South Wales Argus wrote:
New speed limit on part of M4

7:00pm Saturday 4th April 2009

A NEW 50mph speed limit will come into operation on Monday, from junctions 24-28 (Coldra-Tredegar Park) of the M4 around Newport.

The restriction is designed to improve safety and flow of traffic on a particularly busy stretch of the motorway, and will remain until summer 2010, when a new variable speed limit system is introduced.

Congestion, work to replace the central reservation safety fence, and the ongoing widening improvements between junctions 29 and 30 are the reasons why a 50mph limit is being introduced.

The length of road affected by this speed limit will be reduced when the widening works are completed, currently scheduled to be December this year.

Work has started on the replacement of the central reserve steel safety fence with a concrete barrier that meets current standards. Concrete barriers are virtually maintenance free and much more effective at preventing large vehicles from crossing over into oncoming traffic in the event of an accident.

Such incidents have increased recently and have caused serious accidents and delays to motorists.

From summer 2010, electronic signs on overhead gantries will allow the speed limit to be varied, to control motorway traffic to suit prevailing conditions.

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Lum
PostPosted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 19:55 
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PeterE wrote:
It appears that it will in fact only be a temporary limit until Summer 2010:


Indeed, only a year and a quarter have having the traffic flow through south east wales completely screwed up. :roll:
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Ziltro
PostPosted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 20:16 
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After that yet another one of those stupid random speed limit things?

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Gixxer
PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:49 
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I travelled that very stretch yesterday.
Nobody was taking a blind bit of notice of it, and quite frankly I couldn't see a reason for the limit being set at 50mph.
About the only disconcerting thing was the outrageous (less than a car length) tailgating that was occuring when people slowed for the odd Gatso.

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Lum
PostPosted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 12:36 
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Gixxer wrote:
I travelled that very stretch yesterday.
Nobody was taking a blind bit of notice of it, and quite frankly I couldn't see a reason for the limit being set at 50mph.
About the only disconcerting thing was the outrageous (less than a car length) tailgating that was occuring when people slowed for the odd Gatso.


Business as usual for the Welsh section of the M4 then.

Flows well for such a busy road, doesn't it? :)
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Gixxer
PostPosted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 11:29 
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Lum wrote:
Flows well for such a busy road, doesn't it? :)

When I first saw the :50: signs I thought to myself "f**k me, here we go...another 30 minutes plus added to the journey".
I was quite surprised that nobody (except moi) was dropping their speed when the 50 lollipop first appeared, and after a couple of minutes (and a prompt from my friend to "get ya foot down for f**k sakes") I got in to the swing of things and was back up to 70 odd with everyone else.
The only time it did slow down to 50 odd was when the lanes narrowed for a mile or so, but as soon as that was over then it was business as usual.

I could understand the 50 limit being advised for the narrowed part (although everybody seemed to work out for themselves to ease off the gas a bit at that point without the need for a sign), but I still don't get why it was supposed to be 50 for such a long stretch.

On the way back we peeled off at J36 (Bridgend) to grab a bite to eat at Mucky D's. All I can after spending an hour there is that I fully understand why the teenagers were hanging themselves last year.

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fergl100
PostPosted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 13:05 
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There is a long stretch of the A77 (Ayr to Glasgow) road which is dual carriageway and now a 50 mph limit policed by average speed cameras. Probably been discussed before on here. The road was dangerous due to multiple junctions and having to cross the carriageway. Everyone now conforms to the speed limit but with the usual tailgating/concertina effect. It would be interesting to see unbiased accident figures since the 50mph was introduced. Before the change I saved the accident data to compare. Can't find anything since.
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civil engineer
PostPosted: Wed Apr 15, 2009 20:25 
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I noticed it the other day...how long has it been there.......I drive through all the time but this time i was with mrs CE who spotted the teeny tiny roundels.

i thought there waas already a variable speed limit there. When it's busy is low, when it's quiet its higher.

What pains me is that a member of my profession will have come up with wizzard idea.
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Gixxer
PostPosted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 22:05 
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civil engineer wrote:
What pains me is that a member of my profession will have come up with wizzard idea.

I've got what I think is a pretty good solution....

Put the limit back to what it was (NSL), and leave people to work it out for themselves how to get from A to B safely and with minimal delay.
I know that sounds radical, but you know what......from what I saw on the two occasions I went to Wales last week, everybody was doing just that quite successfully.

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JohnnyMan
PostPosted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 23:25 
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I travelled east through that section last night. The traffic was moderately heavy but free flowing at 60 to 70mph. The main problem was those drivers who decided to stick rigidly to the 50mph limit in the middle lane of the long straight stretch between the High Cross and Cwmbran exits causing funneling, rapid braking and congestion in L3. Not to mention the undertaking lorries going up the hill after the tunnels. The signs that were intended to make the road safer are having a hazardous effect by imposing too low a limit for the prevailing road conditions for most of the time.

As if paying £5.40 for the privilege of entering Wales is not enough, to add insult to injury you're immediately bombarded with 50mph and speed camera signs as soon as you reach the "Welcome to Wales" sign. You're then expected to drive at 50mph for seemingly endless miles along a stretch of motorway that's not fit for purpose, having being built on the cheap then bodged to add an intermittent third lane.

This is more befitting of an entry to an Eastern bloc country rather than a part of the UK that is keen to attract tourism and inward investment.
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