Posted By John C
My site has a speed limit of 10mph for all vehicles, including HGVs. The site has literally hundreds of company drivers in vehicles coming in and out each week mainly on a night time operation. All of these staff members, including sub contractors have been given information regarding site rules which includes the speed limit.

I regularly have to remind drivers and sending managers of these rules. I had cause to speak to a driver and his manager over driving on site at a speed well over the 10mph limit. In fact, the speed was (in my opinion) closer to 40mph..! The driver denies having breached the rules.

We have time lapse CCTV which whilst good for collecting evidence in some cases has restrictions particularly in respect of speed. Due to the nature of the site and timings of entry and movements it is difficult but not impossible to identify from a drivers tachograph of speeds being driven on the site.

I would like introduce a mobile speed camera on the site. The purpose is to provide knowledge to drivers of its presence and use and explain that it will be used as a disciplinary tool if need arises.

I am looking for two things:

1. Your thoughts on the use of such a device including any known practical difficulties.
2. The name of a supplier.

Your help would be appreciated. Thanks, John.

Posted By Merv Newman
Sorry, mistake in units of measure. YOu were talking about 10mph, which is 16 kph. Still ridiculously low. In my humble opinion.

Posted By A. Fergusson
I would suggest that a 10mph speed limit for an industrial environment is both sensible and in fact quite normal.

To purchase a mobile speed camera is going to be fairly expensive, why not try your nearest traffic police to see if they can help, (they often lend hand held units to local groups) or better still get them to use your site for training, real police staff and police vehicles tends to have a calming effect on speed.

Posted By John C
Thanks for the comments on these questions. Some interesting thought provoking answers there, thanks.

Speed humps would be a very good solution to the problem I would of thought. But, it would perhaps not be good for us as we have an enormous amount of 'loose loaded' box vehicles on site, which would cause us problems.

The local constabulary having the opportunity to train on site is an interesting idea as a 'one off' type event. Never thought of that one.

Posted By fats van den raad
Merv
as has been said 10 mph is almost a factory standard and is a realistic speed on busy sites.
Beware of installing speed humps. They can be more trouble than they are worth. Not only does it have the potential to play havoc with loose loads, but I have also heard of FLT drivers claiming back injuries due to having to continually traverse the speed humps during the course of their day.
I have worked on a site where the speed limit was 10 mph, and site security randomly checked this with a radar gun. Culprits were deprived of their on-site parking priviledges for a week or so, and this proved very effective.

Posted By George Wedgwood
The Power Station is Connah's Quay in Deeside and the speed limits were indeed 13 mph for the site roads as well as 19 mph for the entrance road. Both worked very well indeed and always got commented on! Additionally, a hand-held speed camera was kept in the gatehouse and security staff had, as part of their job role, a checking activity to ensure that random checks were made. Not many speeders appeared on that Site! I don't know the name of the camera but if you contacted the safety manager at the Station I know they would be very helpful.

Try:
Connah's Quay Power Station
Kelsterton Road
Connah's Quay
Deeside
Clwyd CH5 4BP
Wales
Tel: +44 (0)1244 810753
Fax: +44 (0)1244 811477
Ray Smith - Station Manager

Regards, George

Posted By Paul Adams
Wilton Site at Teesside have on site cameras and security also operate mobile cameras. They have 30 limits and operate 3 strikes and your out by withdrawing your vehicle pass for 3 months. Ouch! It tends to make you behave.

Posted By A. Fergusson
I think we may be missing to point re: speed on any site. A site risk assessment should be carried out to identify what speed is safe/acceptable, in some areas this can be as low a 5mph, a workplace is not public highway so lower speeds are required where there a frequent movements by slower traffic, or lots of pedestrian movements.

A further though is how to justify an increase in speed on a site, the next accident however caused will certainly be blamed on increased speed, explain that to the HSE when they call!

Posted By fats van den raad
A Ferguson is spot on absolutely right. Each site has to be treated on it's own merit, and even different stretches of roadway whithin a site. On my site the speed limit is 5 mph. This is because there are first of all, a lot of traffic on site, and secondly, pedestrians on site as well. I do get the comment that 5 mph does not register on the speedo of a vehicle, and my answer to that is to ensure you drive no faster than a moderate to fast walking pace.
I would however not dream of introducing a 5mph speed limit on the main site roads of a site like Wilton, where the site roads are used exclusively by vehicles, and they have all the relevant highway signs and signals in place.