Author Topic: North Wales Expressway! OK, not-so-expressway!  (Read 2973 times)

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Offline Phmode

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North Wales Expressway! OK, not-so-expressway!
« on: April 30, 2018, 01:32:12 pm »
So, a section of the A55 in Denbighshire, the North Wales 'Expressway', is to get speed camers to...

'improve the safety of the travelling public, help cut the amount (sic) of collisions in the area and strengthen the resilience of the A55'...according to someone no one has ever heard of who is now the minister for making money from speeders.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-43920509

So, these cameras are going to make the eejits pay more attention and stop nattering and texting at the wheel are they?

And how cameras can possibly cut the number (NOT amount!) of accidents is beyond me.

And what the chuckling hell does the last phrase mean? Strengthen the resilience of the A55!

Some amazing pieces of technology these cameras must be...

This is an 'almost' motorway standard dual carriageway which, at this point, bypasses a village.

No mention of accident statistics note. No mention of deaths or injuries.

Speeding is up so we must make some more money 🙄

Offline black-k1

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Re: North Wales Expressway! OK, not-so-expressway!
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2018, 01:40:22 pm »
It’s not about “making money”, it never is! The amount of money speed cameras make is a spit in the ocean of government finances. It’s about avoiding costs.

There will be some badly designed road nearby where accident rates are higher than the norm. They can either spend millions correcting the bad design, causing disruption and inconvenience or “be seen” to be doing something by installing speed cameras, which actually cost peanuts. The fact that the cameras are slightly on the positive side of cost neutral is nothing more than an added bonus.
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Offline drumwrecker

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Re: North Wales Expressway! OK, not-so-expressway!
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2018, 03:32:51 pm »
According to the article road users are not keeping to the 70mph limit so cameras are needed to keep the accident rate down.
What happens if the accident rate doesn't drop after the cameras are installed?
Let me guess in comes a 60mph limit and then a 50mph.
Same old story.
Any reason to impose a lower limit anywhere they can.
I know of two roads where limits were imposed using accidents that had nothing to do with the road itself. One a car pulled into the entrance to a field and pulled out into a motorcyclist doing 40mph on the 60mph limit and was killed. The other was imposed due to an bad accident that happened on a road close by.
Any excuse to punish speed is being applied in my view.
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Offline Phmode

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Re: North Wales Expressway! OK, not-so-expressway!
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2018, 03:45:13 pm »
It’s not about “making money”, it never is! The amount of money speed cameras make is a spit in the ocean of government finances. It’s about avoiding costs.

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/662721/speed-cameras-UK-motorway-traffic-fines-fine-potential

Not a bad bit of spit 😎

Offline black-k1

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Re: North Wales Expressway! OK, not-so-expressway!
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2018, 04:07:50 pm »
It’s not about “making money”, it never is! The amount of money speed cameras make is a spit in the ocean of government finances. It’s about avoiding costs.

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/662721/speed-cameras-UK-motorway-traffic-fines-fine-potential

Not a bad bit of spit 😎

£25m income, less the cost of collecting the money, administering the cameras and infrastructure etc. over 3 years?

To you and I it's a very sizable sum but as far as government revenue is concerned, it is absolute peanuts. (and remember, those are the most lucrative cameras.)
Correct rear brake use is scientifically proven to shorten stopping distances in EVERY road situation.

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Offline Phmode

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Re: North Wales Expressway! OK, not-so-expressway!
« Reply #5 on: April 30, 2018, 06:43:34 pm »
The system doesn't cost much to operate. They are (should be by now) all internet connected with no need for operator involvement. No film to change, no developing, no studying of the awful quality prints. ANPR is automatic and the bill will be in the post before the driver gets home.

Speeding is virtually (90% of the total in some places) the only motoring offence being prosecuted and I am sick and tired of idiots trotting out the old line about speed being 'the cause' of most accidents. When the speed limit is zero and there are lots of accidents caused by people pushing their cars home, the government will still be saying it is all the fault of the demon speed.

We all know what causes most accidents; a combination of lack of skill, lack of experience or lack of attention but no one wants to grasp the nettle. We need more coppers out on the roads otherwise there will be even more idiot drivers climbing into the passenger seat of their Tesla because 'it can do amazing things'...

Offline fjtwelve

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Re: North Wales Expressway! OK, not-so-expressway!
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2018, 10:29:11 pm »
They told me that the process was educate engineer enforce.  Seem to have jumped the queue here. 

Offline slparry

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Re: North Wales Expressway! OK, not-so-expressway!
« Reply #7 on: May 01, 2018, 07:53:10 pm »
During a Bikesafe course they didn't take it kindly when they said "25% of all incidents are because of excess speed" ..... to which I replied so 75% of accidents have nowt to do with speed so why isn't there focus on the greater number? :)
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Offline Phmode

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Re: North Wales Expressway! OK, not-so-expressway!
« Reply #8 on: May 01, 2018, 09:28:44 pm »
You 'orrible, 'orrible man you!

How dare you upset the apple cart so?

Yer banned!

Insert smiley of your choice...

Offline black-k1

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Re: North Wales Expressway! OK, not-so-expressway!
« Reply #9 on: May 02, 2018, 08:54:42 am »
And there is a big difference between excessive speed and exceeding the speed limit. Cameras can ONLY police exceeding the speed limit.

60mph in frozen fog is no where near as safe as 80mph (or even 90mphh) at 5am on a warm, dry, summer Sunday morning yet the the safer version is the only one policed by the camera.

Correct rear brake use is scientifically proven to shorten stopping distances in EVERY road situation.

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Andym535

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Re: North Wales Expressway! OK, not-so-expressway!
« Reply #10 on: May 02, 2018, 10:18:24 am »
It won't be long before they start accepting dash cam footage as evidence for prosecution, if they don't already. You don't get points for having no number plate though...

Offline Phmode

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Re: North Wales Expressway! OK, not-so-expressway!
« Reply #11 on: May 02, 2018, 10:44:31 am »
Is that true?

I guess you might get stopped an awful lot if our police car happens to be in your area  ;D

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Re: North Wales Expressway! OK, not-so-expressway!
« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2018, 10:51:42 am »
And there is a big difference between excessive speed and exceeding the speed limit. Cameras can ONLY police exceeding the speed limit.

60mph in frozen fog is no where near as safe as 80mph (or even 90mphh) at 5am on a warm, dry, summer Sunday morning yet the the safer version is the only one policed by the camera.

I was nicked by a safety camera van in the car in Fareham a few years ago. 47 in a 40. Suburban dual carriageway, light traffic, sunny day, mid afternoon. I knew I had been snapped and deserved it for not spotting the bugger.

Half an hour later on the same stretch of road, with a little more traffic as it was close to school run time, I followed a marked police car up the same incline at 50. Me and the rest of the rest of the traffic. He obviously deemed it to be safe and appropriate.

As an aside, when it came to court the barrister got the whole thing thrown out and costs awarded  ;)

Andym535

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Re: North Wales Expressway! OK, not-so-expressway!
« Reply #13 on: May 02, 2018, 12:54:53 pm »
Max penalty for number plate missing or otherwise non-compliant is £1000, but no penalty points. As you say though, you'd be pretty much guaranteed a stop it you came across the one remaining police car.

Offline Phmode

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Re: North Wales Expressway! OK, not-so-expressway!
« Reply #14 on: May 02, 2018, 01:43:08 pm »
Until you whipped your helmet off and nailed it and then they are forced to give up  8)