Abingdon residents may have noticed the recent installation of seven speed indicator signs at various locations around town. These solar-powered devices, equipped with built-in batteries, will collect data on vehicle speeds, which can be analysed.
Several signs have been positioned near the town’s entry points, including Drayton Road and Oxford Road, where the speed limit is 30 mph. The speed indicator at Abingdon Bridge is situated in the recently implemented 20 mph zone.
Certain speed indicators, along extended road sections, such as Copenhagen Drive and Audlett Drive, both 30 MPH, can be manually rotated to check speeds from either direction.
SIDs are probably a good idea, but if you are slowing down from 40 to 20 (entering Steventon from Milton), you will almost inevitably get the red grumpy greeting – even though you pass 20 at 20 – because the device is measuring your speed on approach rather than at entry. If the device is mounted just a little further within the zone, it will give a better indication of the true speed in the zone – which is what we want.
However, Oxfordshire has imposed 20mph limits in some very peculiar places and many road users ignore them. The result is that the law is brought into disrepute. How many of our elected councillors and salaried officials have done any driver or rider training since taking the DSA L-plate test?
Re your last question, I suspect that, unless they are unusually virtuous (or lucky), many of them will have been on “Speed Awareness” training!
On the subject of Steventon: if you’re talking about coming down into Steventon from Milton Hill, the 20 mph starts roughly 100 yards BEFORE the currently one-way-at-a-time bridge (repairs necessitated by the huge number of lorries going to the depot have been approved). The SID is a further 50+ yards PAST the bridge. The speed limit doesn’t start at the SID.
Your measurements are correct, Chris. However, I often see that particular SID flash at drivers whom I am coaching for the RoSPA advanced driving test before they have reached the entry point to the 20 zone. It is not the only example in this area.
Can anyone tell me the purpose of the traffic light near the Crown and Thistle as one enters Abingdon via the bridge. Last week in the evening, very quiet, it was on red, but in busy periods it seems to always be green.
Does anyone know why there’s a 20mph limits anyway? No one seems to know.
We were told that “speed kills” – it does in a collision. When I asked the councillor who gave this justification on this blog when the limits were first introduced, I was told that it was to reduce accidents. When I asked TVP whether Abingdon was an accident hot spot, I was told No. When I put this to the same councillor, I received no reply. I am still waiting.
I think 20 is fine in residential areas and near schools, hospitals and care homes, but its indiscriminate application simply increases air pollution and journey times. And why Copenhagen was reduced from 40 to 30 seems to be done to the same mantra “speed kills”. It never seemed to me to be a scene of frequent accidents.
The application of one criterion to a complex problem is, in my opinion, lazy thinking.
Ppjs, I have nothing to add as you have very eloquently, reasonably and accurately answered.
It’s a shame that we are “stuck” with such a spiteful, pointless scheme….not to mention, as you say the environmental and health costs.
I agree….housing estates, outside schools during pick/drop off, hospitals etc…but the lazy thinking approach just makes you realise “what they truely think of us” (that we’re stupid).
Welcome to politics 2024!
On the subject of Steventon: if you’re talking about coming down into Steventon from Milton Hill, the 20 mph starts roughly 100 yards BEFORE the currently one-way-at-a-time bridge (repairs necessitated by the huge number of lorries going to the depot have been approved). The SID is a further 50+ yards PAST the bridge. The speed limit doesn’t start at the SID.
I do like that clr Nathan Ley posted on Facebook calling people who were arguing, debating and discussing the speed limit a bunch of “muppets”
Very constructive and really shows the data driven approach used to impose this daft 20mph system
Why does this topic get so much comment?
Slowing down a bit doesn’t seem to be the worst problem in the world. Plenty of other things we can complain about that are much more serious.
We may all have an option on Gaza….but the topic was about speed cameras(ish) so seemed pertinent?
“There’s worse things we could complain about” is fair enough….but then where does “Joe Blogs” voice their opinion about insane, inane, unnecessary, bad for the environment, bad for your pocket, I’ll thought-out lazy policy making?
The very fact they share their opinions on “a blog” just goes to show that “the people” feel helpless and unheard elsewhere….or infact that there isn’t even an “elsewhere” to express an opinion.
It’s why the blog is so brilliant….any councillor worth their salt could do well to read it (but they may not like what they read).
“Blanket 20mph limits are a bad idea. Discuss”….
Well said Daniel
I agree Iain. It appears to be one of those issues which is given more prominence than you might have thought had it been introduced,say, 30 years ago. I think it is another issue reflects how polarised politics has become and, whilst most who are against 20mph have valid and perhaps correct criticisms, the whole 20mph, LTN, 15 minute cities business has got exploited by the conspiracy theorists and populist media.
It is worth bearing in mind that the policy in Abingdon was introduced at the request of the town council ahead of the 2023 local elections. The ruling group was re-elected by a landslide and it is councillors who are elected to act in such matters.
The lower the speed the lower the gear, the lower the gear the higher the revs, the higher the revs the more fuel used, the more fuel used the higher the pollution.
I recently travelled up into Warwickshire to a car event, used the M40 to get up there and decided to come back the old way via Banbury. It was noticeable how the further south you get the slower you travel as the intensity of speed regulation increases, like driving into treacle. To me it seems the recently reduced limits are there to discourage traffic from using anything but A roads and Motorways.
I used to enjoy driving and have driven in excess of 600k miles in 42 years, did a RoSPA course 35 years ago, I’d encourage everyone to do so, largely I don’t drive now if I can avoid it as it is no longer enjoyable with the over regulation of speed, revenue driven policing of those limits, aggressive drivers aggravated by speed restrictions and poorly surfaced badly maintained roads.