Default 20mph for Wales

mattheus
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Re: Default 20mph for Wales

Post by mattheus »

pwa wrote: 31 Jan 2023, 10:52am Incidentally, I was listening to the news on Radio 4 yeasterday morning and there was a piece about the idea that the "default 20mph" thing might be suggested for England. They had motoring personality James May on the phone to chat about it and his verdict came as a pleasant surprise. He said, basically, that he was going to make himself unpopular with some people by approving of the idea. He said that where he lives (Hammersmith?) going any faster than that would be reckless, and that if you actually managed to travel at 20mph you would be doing well anyway. And he talked about making streets civilised. All positive stuff, I thought.
I didn't actually hear that interview - R4 just depresses me in the morning - but it's got a lot of publicity.

I wasn't at all surprised that he's talking sense - he's come across as a good egg throughout his media career; don't forget that during his Top Gear days he was nicknamed "Captain Slow", always the least cretinous member of the trio!
hemo
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Re: Default 20mph for Wales

Post by hemo »

James May was the clever guy with the common sense out the three.
pwa
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Re: Default 20mph for Wales

Post by pwa »

Just over a month to the new speed limit regime. There are new signs all over the place, covered at the moment. I have been practising driving at 20mph to acclimatise myself in readiness.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-62134399
pwa
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Re: Default 20mph for Wales

Post by pwa »

Ten days to go, and the BBC is reporting the nervous countdown, with the inevitable scepticism of some. It is going to be interesting.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-66720800
Carlton green
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Re: Default 20mph for Wales

Post by Carlton green »

pwa wrote: 7 Sep 2023, 5:08am Ten days to go, and the BBC is reporting the nervous countdown, with the inevitable scepticism of some. It is going to be interesting.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-66720800
Yes, it will be interesting to see how it turns out. As a generality we all drive to the limit of what speed we can manage to make rather than have a bigger (speed) margin for safety. Of course having very powerful cars that can stop on a sixpence and have substantial crash protection built into them is the current commercial trend, Perhaps we’ll eventually cotton-on and cap the size and power of cars and commercial vehicles too, to my mind vehicles are two to three times more powerful than they actually need to be for the purposes of transport.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
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mjr
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Re: Default 20mph for Wales

Post by mjr »

Carlton green wrote: 7 Sep 2023, 5:44am Perhaps we’ll eventually cotton-on and cap the size and power of cars and commercial vehicles too, to my mind vehicles are two to three times more powerful than they actually need to be for the purposes of transport.
I saw on TV yesterday that Belgium is increasing tax on electric SUVs to €2500/year and combustion SUVs to €9000/year. That will spread and manufacturers will react.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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Carlton green
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Re: Default 20mph for Wales

Post by Carlton green »

mjr wrote: 7 Sep 2023, 9:54am
Carlton green wrote: 7 Sep 2023, 5:44am Perhaps we’ll eventually cotton-on and cap the size and power of cars and commercial vehicles too, to my mind vehicles are two to three times more powerful than they actually need to be for the purposes of transport.
I saw on TV yesterday that Belgium is increasing tax on electric SUVs to €2500/year and combustion SUVs to €9000/year. That will spread and manufacturers will react.
It’s a regressive tax, permission to drive an SUV by cheque book. To my perspective that’s undemocratic and has much more to do with state income generation than environmental improvement. On the plus side perhaps it might result in SUV’s becoming less popular.

I’d be interested to see a reference to that change, so that I can look at the news item in print - sorry, my Google search produced no helpful results.

The BBC article on the Welsh 20 mph limit is interesting (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-66720800#). One aspect of value to cyclists is that it should make the roads safer for us (our road user group) too.

Some of the Welsh people benefiting from a 20mph default limit

513,800 children will find walking/cycling safer
If the speeds of vehicles were capped then I believe that cyclists would be safer and likewise if their size and their power were capped. Size - primarily width - is a particularly important issue, though excess speed is dangerous in itself hogging the road leaves no space for other users.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
Pete Owens
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Re: Default 20mph for Wales

Post by Pete Owens »

I am cycling around north Wales at the moment and there doesn't seem to be any evidence of preparation for the new limit. No covered signs, advanced information etc. Perhaps the council has a stock of "2" stickers which will be attached overnight to cover the "3" on 30mph signs.
pwa
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Re: Default 20mph for Wales

Post by pwa »

Pete Owens wrote: 7 Sep 2023, 4:46pm I am cycling around north Wales at the moment and there doesn't seem to be any evidence of preparation for the new limit. No covered signs, advanced information etc. Perhaps the council has a stock of "2" stickers which will be attached overnight to cover the "3" on 30mph signs.
That is strange. Around here, in the Vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend, Port Talbot, Neath and Cardiff, there are brand new galvanized posts all over the place in readiness, many with the new signs in place but covered with black plastic film for the moment. So as you go round you can work out which stretches of road are to remain at 30 and which are to go down to 20.

I think some people will be surprised by how little of the current 30mph will remain after the change. Large sections of "main road" are set to become 20 in built up areas. It isn't just the side roads and residential streets.
Bmblbzzz
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Re: Default 20mph for Wales

Post by Bmblbzzz »

pwa wrote: 7 Sep 2023, 4:58pm I think some people will be surprised by how little of the current 30mph will remain after the change. Large sections of "main road" are set to become 20 in built up areas. It isn't just the side roads and residential streets.
That is the same here in "Brysde" (sp?). The 20mph zones include A roads and even some slip roads off (but not onto) the M32. I don't think it includes any dual carriageways though.
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Pinhead
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Re: Default 20mph for Wales

Post by Pinhead »

I faught (and won) for the 40 in Llandysul to be reduced to 30, then later it came down almost 2 years ago to 20, BUT the Police stated that they did NOT enforce 20s as they are meant to be self enforcing :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Pinhead
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Re: Default 20mph for Wales

Post by Pinhead »

Can cyclists ride faster than 20, if so what would happen ?

Serious question as I average 8 :)
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Pete Owens
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Re: Default 20mph for Wales

Post by Pete Owens »

Cyclists are not subject to speed limits
Last edited by Pete Owens on 7 Sep 2023, 10:15pm, edited 1 time in total.
Pete Owens
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Re: Default 20mph for Wales

Post by Pete Owens »

Bmblbzzz wrote: 7 Sep 2023, 6:00pm
pwa wrote: 7 Sep 2023, 4:58pm I think some people will be surprised by how little of the current 30mph will remain after the change. Large sections of "main road" are set to become 20 in built up areas. It isn't just the side roads and residential streets.
That is the same here in "Brysde" (sp?). The 20mph zones include A roads and even some slip roads off (but not onto) the M32. I don't think it includes any dual carriageways though.
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.4581296 ... ?entry=ttu
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mjr
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Re: Default 20mph for Wales

Post by mjr »

Pinhead wrote: 7 Sep 2023, 6:43pm I faught (and won) for the 40 in Llandysul to be reduced to 30, then later it came down almost 2 years ago to 20, BUT the Police stated that they did NOT enforce 20s as they are meant to be self enforcing :lol: :lol: :lol:
Police don't want to police. That's a big part of the problems on the roads now. Another part is all the cuts to the police over the last few years.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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