A12 rant

I drove north to Ipswich last Wednesday 18th at 11am then south at 4pm. No work being carried out, didn't see any workmen for the whole 8 x 2 miles at 40 mph or below.
Does anyone know what is supposed to be happening ?

The Army and Navy roundabout in Chelmsford is undergoing works, at least you see workmen and some progress, even if slow.
 
Think they only work at night.....contra flow in place, at 04.00 they reopen and they drive the roads to check they are clear - at 20mph!!!
 
I'm a little rusty now but from recollection I'm fairly sure they need to have a local order in place to impose a temporary speed limit on a stretch of road. Quite apart from the work involved in placing/removing the signs I don't think the legislation allows for it to be time applicable so if they are working at night and quite rightly need the speed limit in place then unfortunately it still applies during the day. I know there have been changes in the rules to allow for the temporary speed limits on Motorways, but not sure if that also covers roadworks. These local orders do have a shelf life though and it wouldn't be the first time works have overrun and someone has overlooked renewing it, so the speed limit has become "illegal". Either way I also drove along this road recently and it's extremely frustrating, especially when you get all the unregistered cars weaving past you because they don't give one hoot about remote policing.......
 
It's reported today that the roadworks (and the miles of unnecessary 40 limit) will last for at least 2 months more than planned. Completion now might be sometime in May! The speed cameras must be lucrative.
 
pvb said:
It's reported today that the roadworks (and the miles of unnecessary 40 limit) will last for at least 2 months more than planned. Completion now might be sometime in May! The speed cameras must be lucrative.
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Prompted by a journey yesterday, I checked the Traffic England site (http://www.trafficengland.com/disruptions.aspx?ct=true#ds) run by Highways England and it seems that at peak times delays of up to 10 minutes northbound towards Ipswich, and 30 minutes southbound from Ipswich, may now be expected until mid-June.

(I guess Highways England is the former Highways Agency - or the English part thereof. Why is it Highways England not English Highways?)
 
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Oh well, it looks as if Manningtree will continue to get my passing custom. It would be a nice alternative if it weren't for the extended 30mph zones, which is apparently too slow for a lot of people on important business, though whoever might be doing something important in a beaten-up old Fiesta is anyone's guess.
 
johnalison said:
Oh well, it looks as if Manningtree will continue to get my passing custom. It would be a nice alternative if it weren't for the extended 30mph zones, which is apparently too slow for a lot of people on important business, though whoever might be doing something important in a beaten-up old Fiesta is anyone's guess.
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Most now own 1.2 Corsa`s these daze
 
Hydrozoan said:
Prompted by a journey yesterday, I checked the Traffic England site (http://www.trafficengland.com/disruptions.aspx?ct=true#ds) run by Highways England and it seems that at peak times delays of up to 10 minutes northbound towards Ipswich, and 30 minutes southbound from Ipswich, may now be expected until mid-June.

(I guess Highways England is the former Highways Agency - or the English part thereof. Why is it Highways England not English Highways?)
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I went up to check the boat today, and once again enjoyed the delights of these totally unnecessary speed restrictions! What's more annoying is that, as if 40mph isn't already far too slow, people seem to drive even slower - I was hooted at when I overtook someone doing 37mph.

As an aside, is it likely that the extended duration of the roadworks is linked to the very poor quality of the resurfacing? The southbound section is very bumpy and patchy; if I were in charge of the project I wouldn't accept it. I've just returned from 10 days in Tenerife, during which I drove over 1000km on this tiny insignificant island, which has beautiful main roads, so smooth and even. Why can't we do the same?
 
anyone know of anyone being done by an average speed camera? I was wondering how sensitive they are - what tolerances etc. I tend to set the cruise control at 40 mph - surprised at the number of cars that pass me.
 
Marmalade said:
anyone know of anyone being done by an average speed camera? I was wondering how sensitive they are - what tolerances etc. I tend to set the cruise control at 40 mph - surprised at the number of cars that pass me.
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I may have been one of them :o
It may be an old wives tale, but I do change lane between one camera and the next. (not just on the A12)
Never had a ticket yet.

It's my conviction that 'Average Speed Check' is nothing but a myth.

Q all those who know someone who has heard of someone being done by average speed cameras.
 
OR4751 said:
I may have been one of them :o
It may be an old wives tale, but I do change lane between one camera and the next. (not just on the A12)
Never had a ticket yet.

It's my conviction that 'Average Speed Check' is nothing but a myth.

Q all those who know someone who has heard of someone being done by average speed cameras.
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I have heard of two people being done in road works (although I am not sure that was average cameras now) A South Cambs counsellor said he didn't know of anyone being done by them on the A14.
 
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Hello,
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news chaps, A14 average speed camera cost me a speed awareness course. I understand once upon a time the cameras could not coordinate between lanes but now they can, but hey ho great coffee.

Happy Easter, Col
 
I checked my car speedo against the handheld GPS...

Then set the CC to the actual speed not the speedo. Normally I am doing about 2mph faster than everyone else.
 
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