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Thursday, May 24 2012

New speed limit plan for M20

M20by Helen Wagstaff

Motorists on the M20 could soon be fined for breaking variable speed limits of 40 or 50 mph.

The Highways Agency has launched a 12-week consultation on implementing a Controlled Motorway variable speed limit scheme between junctions 4 (West Malling) and 7 (Detling).

At the moment signs flash up telling drivers to keep to slower than national speed limit speeds but these are not enforceable by law.

The current consultation - which ends on July 28 - will allow interested parties and individuals to comment on the proposal before it becomes law.

Enforceable variable speed limits are currently in place on the M25 and on the M42.

John Burns, Highways Agency route manager for Kent, talks to kmfm about the variable speed limit plan for a section of the M20

A Highways Agency spokesman said they help prevent stop-start traffic, improve safety and reduce emissions.

He said: "There has been a 10 per cent decrease in accidents on the section they since they were introduced on the M25. For the M20, emissions is also a key factor because it is a very busy stretch of road."

Friday, May 15 2009

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  • Mike Taylor wrote:

    Variable speed limits

    Although counterintuitive, in that it seems ridiculous that slowing traffic down can speed journeys, experience on the M25 confirms that they do work:there is a moment of confusion whilst everything settles down to a lower limit, but then a calm descends, and everyone moves smoothly and safely. It will obviously be seen by the speed freaks as a further infringement on their right to endanger us all with their antisocial behaviour. Today's roads are simply too crowded, and essential to commerce, to allow their use as private racetracks.

    16 May 2009 12:23 PM

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  • Ed wrote:

    Traffic Information

    It would be lovely to think that the traffic information, including speed limits, was actually up-to-date and relevant.
    My experience over very many years is that the information, sadly, is often totally out-of-date and hence often ignored.
    I once travelled for mile after mile around the M25/M26/M20 with 'Fog' and '50' displayed when it was absolutely crystal clear, and on another occasion, a traffic sign on the M4 warned of traffic delays for an event held the previous day!

    After the shambles in the snow and ice earlier this year, I've concluded that the Highways Agency needs to be radically revised, if not shut down as a waste of taxpayers money.

    15 May 2009 10:18 PM

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  • charles wrote:

    M20 speed camera consultations

    what results can realistically be expected from this as a "consultation" - the cameras and road markings are all ready installed and have been for some time! someone forget to tick the box on consultation? another good use of tax payers money! (especially as in peak times the traffic flow doesn't move fast enough to be slowed by the cameras anyway!)

    15 May 2009 3:23 PM

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  • david wrote:

    consultation

    This consultation will be a pointless excercise and waste of taxpayers money.The decision has already been made to introduce these speed limits. The consultation should have taken place before they spent tens of thousands of the taxpayers pounds on installing the infrastructure to do the job. Yet another example of the publics paid servents treating the public with contempt.

    15 May 2009 11:07 AM

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