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Posted By Robert K Lewis
Can anyone assist a Road Safety Action Group campaigning cocerning the safety of an A road through the villages - note this is a county road not a trunk.
Bob
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Posted By Graham Bullough
Bob - Sorry I can't help you with this particular query. However, I've tried several times recently to e-mail you directly about another matter. However, the message keeps being returned as undeliverable by the system administrator for postmaster@bp.com on the grounds that your name is "not recognised". I've used the e-mail address you give, so now wonder if there's a computer glitch at your end.
Graham Bullough
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Posted By Robert K Lewis
Interesting as I had updated it to
bobl@davidmcleancontractors.co.uk
I have tried to do the update again as you state my old e-mail address keeps appearing. It says that this is in use however so I am perplexed!!
Bob
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Posted By Ken Taylor
What about the local Road Safety Officer and RoSPA?
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Posted By Robert K Lewis
I don't think the county will be too happy about that. The ROSPA route is also under investigation. I am looking for the technical expertise to analyse the road and contest the county view.
It would also be nice to enjoy the mentoring experience as I am not au fait in this area.
Bob
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Posted By Ken Taylor
The RSO should have access to road traffic accident statistics for the road and it's environs as public information - which may help. I don't see why he/she should not be professional in such a matter irrespective of the views of traffic engineers.
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Posted By Robert K Lewis
Many Thanks Ken
I already have those stats and we are in the unfortunate position that 1 fatality in 4 years puts us low down the list in spite of 20+ accidents in the period and numerous near misses.
Bob
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Posted By Ken Taylor
Are there any 'risk groups' in the vicinity to which you could refer and get involved with (schools, residential care homes,etc)? Can you get the local Councillors on your side? Is there a Road Safety Committee?
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Posted By Robert K Lewis
The answer is yes, local (both Parish and District)councillors are involved as is the school. The county relies heavily on police advice which is typified by the decision to allocate the local beat constable to other duties elsewhere on the night of any public meeting.
Bob
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Posted By Ken Taylor
I seem to be running out of suggestions (with my 'road safety hat' on). In my local authority days, we had a public safety committee made up of representatives from various local organisations and groups (police, fire service, Pedestrians Association, education authority, etc) who received reports from the officers, road accident statistics, etc and had two seats on the relevant Council committee and could raise issues referred through them. Some councils even had more local road safety committees. Come to think of it, the Pedestrians Association is another idea!
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Posted By Robert K Lewis
Many thanks Ken, I am running out of sources as well. I was hoping that there might have been some friendly road engineer on the design and assessment side that would offer assistance.
Our Action Group is community based around the 3 affected villages. 2 adjoining villages have 30mph through them but we have 40mph because there are not enough fatalities to warrant action,- effectively the police view judging from their letters to parish councillors. I am now thinking of a stealth measure by using one of the councils own set goals - that of "Reducing the risks of crime and safety to persons". They have concentrated on crime but the ENV. Services People, who manage the roads, have not visibly produced any action plans for road safety.
If any person can assist with an expert assessment of the road I would be extremely pleased for the help.
Bob
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Posted By Martin Gray
It would appear that your have taken the number of accidents as the basis for your reason for getting the speed limit reduced. If we receive complaints concerning speed through villages we need to establish if the complaint is justified or mearly a perseption of the people due to the narrow roads or even high hedgerows. In this county we place out a data recorder which places 2 tubes across the road, in some cases we cover more than one road depending on the complaint.
This data is analysed by computer and an will tell us the times and speeds and types of vehicles using the roads and if the problem is real. This other than accident statistics is the only way to get as near accurate data.
On many occassions we have found that the persons perseption of speed is wrong.
Try requesting through your local police traffic management department for Archer or similar equipment to be placed out.
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Posted By Robert K Lewis
Martin
It is not just accidents we have established also the following
1) On average 3 drivers in every 100 make an error on the blind bend with an adverse camber and cross the double solid white lines by more than one wheel width - all these have potential for serious or fatal injury.
2) Police use of mobile cameras at the exit to the 40mph into the 60 results in approx 40% of drivers being fined!! As I noted to Ken the attitude seems to be one of "laissez faire" as the accidents do not produce sufficient fatalities.
3) Interestingly the police prefer to use obscured cameras at the end of the limit to catch speeding motorists rather than visible cameras in the central area in order to encourage speed reduction.
4) An access 30mph road to the main road records figures of 60mph on a number of occasions when measurements are taken.
5) The high average speed on the road is not disputed by the County it is what can be done that is in dispute. With the county preferring to do nothing.
The reliance on speed being the only factor is I think a fallacy. It is drivers who do not understand that the road cannot be safely negotiated at even the speed limit set!!let alone at 20mph in excess of it. We have witnessed HGV drivers using the layby just at the entry to one end of the bend as extra road width to straighten out the bend!
Bob
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Posted By Ken Taylor
They're painting the speed cameras yellow round here for the reasons stated above. Perhaps the suggestion for a high-vis camera could be put to them again in the light of recent thinking!
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Posted By Robert K Lewis
Ken
They use the mobile one's so that they can avoid the need for the yellow box. I am thinking that the residents might place courtesey signs in their gardens telling motorists that speed traps are in operation but I amnot sure of the legality of this move. At least the traffic would slow down!!
Bob
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Posted By Ken Taylor
That's an interesting idea. I seem to remember something to the effect that one of the few types of public signs not requiring planning approval was that of road safety. I wouldn't like to say whether this could apply to the DIY version but it would make good press coverage if the Council was seen to instruct householders to remove signs of that nature. You should, however, ensure that the signs do not resemble official road traffic signs as this, I believe, would be an offence.
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Posted By Robert K Lewis
Ken
Yellow on black it is then?
Bob
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Posted By Ken Taylor
Or even black on yellow.
With best wishes.
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