So for all the years I've been on the road (8 or 9 now!) this road has been a 40mph limit.
Coming home yesterday I noticed that it's now a 30 limit right up until the Sainsburys Roundabout (if heading towards Newbury Retail Park).
I know they are doing roadworks and wondered if it was just temporary but there are 30mph electronic signs on the lamp posts and I'm thinking that they wouldn't pay for one of those if it was only temporary.. ?

It's a temporary limit whilst the roadworks are carried out. Currently, it may well not be necessary but once work starts on the carriageways it will be needed for safety

The electronic signs are the first (and cheapest) step of enforcement. If these fail to slow the traffic then I am guessing that speed cameras will be next.

In my travels on this stretch of road, the 30 limit is more honoured in the breach (although it seems to have slowed most of the traffic to 40 rather than the 50-60 I used to see)

I can't see how they can justify the 30mph limit though, it wasn't like it earlier in the week? Haha.
Usually they would have the 30mph big signs up but it's not normal to install electronic signs in temporary speed limits?

I fear they are going to reduce the speed limit permanently to 30mph. Which won't be abided by anyway. I've not seen any accidents on this road.

MM, any idea where I can buy iron x locally?

Pedestrian died crossing there a couple of years back, some would be Lewis Hamilton coming off the roundabout as if his life depended on hitting 70 before he got to the bridge. However, it was not his life that was at stake.

30mph is perfectly reasonable while the roadworks are ongoing - and the sign probably has a switch to change it to 40 after they are finished.

I thought 30mph was standard practice while road works are taking place; that or big concrete blocks.

I do believe that when the roadworks are finished that doing 30 mph would be wishful thinking?

A small box built in China, strapped to a lamp column which displays some LED lights at fast cars can be bought for next to nothing. Compared to the costs involved if there was to be a speed related accident in the middle of the roadworks which injured or killed one of the workforce it is peanuts. If it does the job while work on the highway is taking place and there are no incidents then it would be money (small amount) well spent and could be virtually given away or taken to the next site.


Laws related to installation of new speed cameras still require there to be an accident history involving serious personal injury or death. Apart from the bloke who ran across the road at the canal end instead of using the subway and got hit, and the woman at the Robin Hood end who unfortunately had a epileptic fit while walking on the footpath and fell onto the carriageway and was hit by a passing truck the fatality record and personal injury record on this length of road is very low for an A Class. Speed cameras can't just be set up to make money (although most of us question whether that is true as it doesn't feel like it)

What they could do instead is set up a small tower within the police station grounds, chop back some of the trees alongside and send a young copper up there with a speed device every now and then to photo capture passing speeders.

The same restrictions do not apply to the use of SPECS average speed cameras for roadworks - they seem to be the first thing installed for motorway 50mph works limits these days.

Actually, it's always fun to watch people braking for SPECS cameras. Too late you pillock, they face the front of the vehicle usually and calculate AVERAGE speed between the cameras.

I have to say, it is as Spart. says, very cheap and very effective. Even at quiet times, it's not particularly sensible to do much more than 30 along the temporary road surface. Frankly, what has been done there whilst the works are going on is all pretty sensible and does actually keep things moving.

Do those things actually work or are they just a deterrent banking on people not knowing?
They must surely have to use a fairly sophisticated ANPR system linked to a timer in order to do so?
I have yet to hear of, or know anyone who has been prosecuted using them although I'm sure someone on here will produce an example.

PS If they face the front then my bikes and nearly all other's aint got no front plates!!

The 30 mph has been there for at least the last 3 weeks (unless you drive with your eyes closed).
There have been at least 3 fatal accidents on the section of road in the past 2 years so i think 30 mph is what it should be kept at.

No sophistication as far as I know; just a warning, no more, no less. A bit like some burglar alarm cases with a blinking red light; theves don't know if it's fake or real. Most take some notice.

Two of those (I don't remember the third) were pedestrians in the road: one was crossing the road at what I would call an ill advised position at a busy time of day and while a driver was racing. The other pedestrian unfortunately collapsed into the road while walking on the path next to the road. I'm not sure that justifies a 30.

Yeah, but, so long as it generates some revenue.

The centre lanes have been well narrowed and HGV's are not allowed in them which makes for some interesting maneuvers when they get back into the correct lane to go up to the M4 at the Robin Hood.
The real reason for the speed restriction as far as I can see is that there is a great potential for a 'head on' now that the crash barriers have been removed. Even so, two vehicles doing 30mph when they meet will be significant. Two meeting at 40mph or more would be disastrous. I always feel a bit apprehensive trundling down the middle just in case a driver gets pushed or drifts into the oncoming.

Even more so than the potential for you to have a 'head-on' on ANY other road? How do you feel when you travel to Hungerford for instance? National speed limit applies (which means quite a few zip along at 80mph)...yet there never has been a central barrier to prevent cars drifting into the opposing lane. Now THAT would be disastrous I agree. The A339 through the road works is pretty mild and if you get twitchy about that then I don't see how you can be confident driving anywhere..

Sorry for delayed response.
Pop down to Nick at DMC - Mention that Jay sent you .

[quote name='motormad' post='109345' date='Apr 19 2016, 11:00 AM']Sorry for delayed response.
Pop down to Nick at DMC - Mention that Jay sent you . [/quote
Ah, they do retail sales?

Cheers MM (Jay)