Safe Speed Forums

A restricted road is one that is lit by street lamps.

The street lamps must be over 20 ft high and less than 200 yards apart, or over 13 feet high if they are less than 50 yards apart.

A 30 mph limit automatically applies on such roads (Excluding motorways etc.) unless there are signs to indicate another limit.

As the law currently stands, 30 mph repeaters are prohibited on these roads unless:
(a) They are in conjunction with a speed camera sign, immediately before a fixed speed camera ; or

(b) They are vehicle activated signs.

As the law stands, local authorities or the Highways Agency are required to install and maintain a 30 mph sign on either side of the road on entry to the 30 mph zone. However, failure to do so on their part does not preclude the prosecution of a motorist.

There are several threads on this topic such ashere, and here

Should the law be changed?

I took the 5th option (no... adequate...but), but there's an 'and'.

And we should enforce speed limits sensible with proper consideration of the circumstances.

The current problems are not caused by the law, they are caused by greedy and needless enforcement practice. Hence it's the enforcement practice that most needs to change.

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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 agree with Paul on this one.

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Only when ideology, prejudice and dogma are set aside does the truth emerge - Kepler

I voted "Other".

I believe the law should be changed to permit the use of 30 mph repeaters on 30 mph roads that are not of a predominantly built-up character, and that government guidelines should recommend their use in such circumstances.

However it does raise the question of why there are so many roads like that in the first place

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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

Voted for the second option. I think people are avoiding it because it mentions speed cameras and verges on legitimising them.

I think 30 repeaters should be allowed and should be used before speed cameras are considered. But first the question should be asked, is the limit realistic? Is it the correct limit for the road?

Repeaters on every residential road would be costly. But would it be as costly as putting speed humps in? I'm not saying we should have repeaters in every residential road. Most are obviously 30 zones and a lot of the time 30 is too fast but isn't that the way we are heading with 20 zones? Repeaters, humps, cost.

In the current climate of over-zealous and indiscriminate enforcement I could certainly go along with the idea that repeaters are needed, especially with the wholesale reduction of good quality 40mph roads to 30mph. However I'm in full agreement with Paul that there is nothing wrong with the law on repeaters as it is, and I don't really want the roads cluttered up with yet more signage. Therefore as soon as we get back to sensible, intellegent enforcement of speed limits this problem will dissapear.

Capri - i concur, for the same reasons. Also , once heard a lady recounting how a police officer had told her how to tell whether the road was 40 or 30 by street lights -- FFS - like speedo watching( i calculate the these lights are so far apart, sorry pedestrian, was working out speed, didn't see you) - if the 30 limit is there for safety - lets advertise it, unless of course its there to make money

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

Not to mention how tall said lights are - not all street lights are "street lights".. Remember, "always carry a theodolite, you know it makes sense"!

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"Politicians are the same the world over... We build bridges where there aren't any rivers." - Nikita Kruschev

Pogo ---

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

"Aye thang yeow"... Points awarded for knowing the source of this expression, doubled if you're under 50..!

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"Politicians are the same the world over... We build bridges where there aren't any rivers." - Nikita Kruschev

I voted that they should be allowed but required before enforcement.

I believe that street lighting should have nothing to do with speed limits and that all speed traps (err I mean safety camera sites) should have 1 or 2 speed limit signs at sensible distances before the camera and one on the camera/talivan. This would help to show that they are playing fair. But then they would have to weigh up safety vs profit

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Andrew.