Some Motorway Roadwork Speed Limits Increased
In the press today and on the BBC, see here, they report that they intend to increase the speed through some roadworks from 50 to 60 mph. I imagine this will only happen where the motorway workforce has good protection from the traffic.
David
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Reasons given for the suggested increase do seem strange. I'd guess increased heart rates are more to do with seeing mile upon mile of roadworks without seeing a single worker.
The USA system sounds better. You cause an accident with a speed restriction through road works and your points & fine are doubled.
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the french and spanish workforce dont seem to be fazed one bit by passing traffic.....often there is no specific speed limit change and just a couple of bollards in the road...
perhaps this is why we didnt witness one single traffic jam in 6 weeks away....?
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On French autoroutes there is a speed restriction of 90kph (56mph) at every roadworks.
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in spain theres even less.....
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We were driving on the M62 between Pontefract and the M1 today and there is a stretch of roadworks/50mph/average speed cameras - not a soul in sight working anywhere. It was frustrating and I can see why a raised limit would work - perhaps HGVs would have to stay at 50mph due to narrow lanes?
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Roadworks speed limits if made "variable" would need a more responsible attitude by the contractors in implementing them than the way signs are not changed at present,and it would have to be for all vehicles and i do not think speed cameras can diferentiate types of vehicles?
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I am of the view that increasing the speed limit would be a sensible option where workers are not being put in additional danger. This might mean that the speed limit might be higher when no work is being undertaken, perhaps at a weekend or bank holiday, but lower whilst the work is in progress. If the work is being carried out some distance from the actual carriageway the higher limit could also be put in place. I suppose what I am suggesting is that some common sense is applied rather than a blanket one speed limit.
David
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when it comes to 'road deaths per million inhabitants' youre way out...
of the 5 'ratings' Spain is in tne second 'best' group....
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Variable speed limits of a permanent nature, are usually controlled by the Highways agency via their control centre and cameras. Nothing to do with the contractors.
I usually find that the faster I drive the more alert I am, but when travelling at slow speeds the brain tends to revert to auto pilot and therefore I become more of a danger.
Higher speed limits makes sense to me - what about you?.
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What is really needed is a degree of urgency in the completion of the aforesaid roadworks. Not cone off then miles of motorway and then sod off for a couple of months.
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The stretch of motorway near me has never ending roadworks at night and it has been completely re surfaced several times over the last few years. The good lord alone knows what they do. I drive home from work passing miles of coned off lanes to find a van right at the end with a couple of guys reading the paper. In an afternoon the roadworks are not there and all 4 lanes are open but every single day without fail the matrix signs say 60mph, its great progress.
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Miles and miles at 50 instead of 70 is going to delay me! 