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Motorway temporary speed signs(electronic)

wazza99
wazza99 Posts: 370 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
Ok, so i have a question.

After a stretch of temporary speed limit signs, lets say 50mph, should/must the last gantry show the national speed limit sign ?

Couple of times this week on the M62 east just prior to j28, we have had 50mph shown for about 1 mile on half a dozen gantries then as you pass J28 the gantries just go blank and stay blank until 2 junctions later where a "manual" roadworks applies physical signs and average speed cameras of 50mph.

Surely if we are to believe the highway code the speed limit that applies is the last sign you passed ? so the whole next two junctions should be 50mph but if so why not have it on the gantries ? TBH no-one does 50mph and most people seem to assume 70mph applies and so far i've not seen any camera flash.

This only seems to occur around that junction, i'm sure i've always seen a national sign in the past.

Then to top it all going west just before junction 29 next day on a four lane stretch, the 3 inside lanes showed 30mph but the outside one 50mph !! So what does one do there ? There was nothing to say "stay in lane" so if anyone moves from 4 to 3 or vice versa what do they do drop/gain 20 mph ??

I wrote to the highways agency but they just sent a generic explanantion of traffic management and didnt seem to understand (or nor want to) as most folks know in this area the whole stretch is camera enforced and it concerns me that some (me!) will end up getting caught out.

Comments

  • TadleyBaggie
    TadleyBaggie Posts: 6,453 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Were the mandatory speed limit signs (number inside a red ring) or advisory speed signs?
  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 32,820 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    The temporary signs are a nightmare. They need to be banned.

    I was on the M6 in the roadworks. 50mph signs i think. Overhead signs
    came on 40 then 30. Then the last one before the M5 turning said national limit. As i overtook the lorry to my left there was the roadwork signs saying 50mph. Obscured by the lorries. No speed sign in the central reservation showing a lower limit.

    Nothing ever arrived in the post though.
    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

  • TadleyBaggie
    TadleyBaggie Posts: 6,453 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    No speed sign in the central reservation showing a lower limit.
    The one in the central reservation are always advisory, never limits.
  • alanrowell
    alanrowell Posts: 5,378 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Were the mandatory speed limit signs (number inside a red ring) or advisory speed signs?
    On the M62 they are mandatory.

    As for the OP - the rule is that a speed restriction applies until it is changed. Lack of a sign doesn't mean the restriction has ended
  • wazza99
    wazza99 Posts: 370 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    "As for the OP - the rule is that a speed restriction applies until it is changed. Lack of a sign doesn't mean the restriction has ended"

    I know this is what should happen but doesn't make sense next 10 gantries or so would be blank if a 50mph was still in force. Why have them but not have them on ??

    Every other temporary speed limit or variable speed zone always terminates with a national speed limit sign.

    Also still doesnt explain the 50/30mph gantry across 4 lanes is that even allowed ?
  • Crabman
    Crabman Posts: 9,943 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    wazza99 wrote: »
    After a stretch of temporary speed limit signs, lets say 50mph, should/must the last gantry show the national speed limit sign ?

    I know exactly what you mean as we have this specific problem on the M42.

    The signs will say 40 (within a red circle). Then you'll come across a gantry where the signs are switched off. Which either means the signs are broken or the temporary speed limit no longer applies. They do sometimes use the NSL symbol at the end of the restriction, but this is not always the case. Some vehicles floor it while others remain at the temporary speed limit until they pass another gantry or two.

    Sometimes we get individual signs above a lane not working properly, so three out of four signs will say 50mph, leading some cars to travel at/above 70mph in that lane.

    They can be a real headache but they do control traffic well during busy periods.
  • wazza99
    wazza99 Posts: 370 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    So a reply from the Highways Agency.

    It is indeed correct and as expected to have one lane at 50mph and the other 3 at 30mph, especially at this section of M62 where 2 lanes go off to the M1 and 2 lanes stay as M62. The 30mph M62 lane is there as they expect traffic to be going slower in that lane with people changing their minds and potentially moving to the M1 slips...
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