30 mph in all built-up areas?
Thursday 4th November 2010, 2:59PM GMT.
A 30 mph speed limit could be introduced in all built-up areas
THE speed limit in all built-up areas in Jersey could be reduced to 30 mph under new plans to improve road safety.
Speeding motorists could also face on-the-spot fines and a UK-style penalty points system as part of the plans to overhaul the Island’s road laws.
And the limit in green lanes could increase from 15 mph to 20 mph following claims that the current limit is simply too slow.
Transport Minister Mike Jackson lodged the proposals this week following a major
review into Jersey’s speed limits.
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30mph sounds good to me, it’ll bring me more pleasure in my driving – I love looking in the rear view mirror to see someone flushed red in the face because i’m driving within the limit and it’s making them crazy. If you’re in a hurry, you should have left earlier!
As for the green lanes – keep at 15mph please, if you want to go quicker, stick to the main roads!
It’ll be good for the economy too – all those sporty cars will suffer engine trouble slugging along slowly day in day out, and thus will have to spend more time with the mechanics.
On the spot fines? One major point has been overlooked – the SoJP aren’t going to be available to stand roadside with a speedgun, there’s only a dozen of them aren’t there! How about a movable speed cam, surely it couldn’t take up too much time to slug it around every couple of days?
As for all those who are likely infuriated by MJ’s proposals and my comments, roosters the lot of ya!
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Given that only 4% of road accidents are caused by speeding and the remaining 96% by bad driving how will this measure increase safety. Surely encouraging people to be better drivers either by forcing those who habitually drive badly to undertake a test or removing their licences completely would be a more effective means of control.
Assuming of course that road safety is their true intent, slower cars use more fuel
( environmental argument out the window ) more fuel = more tax. Also new cars have very efficient safety systems meaning that a modern car can stop in half the distance quoted in the Highway Code. Are there documented incidents supporting the need for a reduced speed limit linking accidents to excessive speed?
The only people who will favour this change are the idiots trundling about and holding up traffic at 20mph in the existing 40mph zones.
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Oh, God, please no! Save it for April 1st. No-one under 70 takes any notice of the 30 limits anyway and that makes the law an ass. Don’t make it any more of one, please!
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Do we have a major problem with Road traffic accidents, speeding etc no, so why is this happening? My own view is to keep the wingeing minority NIMBYS happy. Completely daft in my view and will not anything to road safety or traffic management or indeed the enviroment!!!
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But the speed limit is already 30mph for built up areas, or are the authorities changing the definition of ‘built up area’ to mean any road with a driveway or a house i.e. every main road on the Island?
Whilst I think the 15mph green lane limit is too slow the fact that they propose to increase it to only 10mph slower than that of a main road shows the suggested limits are nonsense; if 31mph is too fast on a clear, straight main road with few houses then how can 20mph be safe on a small windy road with poor visibility?!
This is just a way of increasing the coffers in tough times and will do nothing to improve safety or reduce the number of accidents.
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Totally agree with #2.
It is those biddies/old folk who trundle about at 20mph in 40mph zones that cause problems. It is those biddies/old folk who cannot do past 20mph in a 40 mph zone because of their severe lack of reaction time to a situation, that should be made to re-take their driven test every year.
That will make the roads far safer and not reducing the speed limit. ah by cry ma love eh!
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I would go further and make 30 the island wide limit unless advised otherwise. Even main roads in non built-up areas are dangerous at 40, especially at night. Roads such as vic avenue and five mile road should remain at 40 though.
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It will be interesting to learn how a ‘built up area’ is defined.
Where there are street lights?
If there is a building within half a mile?
For goodness sake, stop tinkering.
There are so many different speed limits on this island – 15mph; 20mph; part-time 20mph; 30mph; 40mph I sometimes think my car is running on kangaroo juice!
Surely The States have better things to debate.
You’ve got to laugh eh!
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Yet another bad idea from the hysterical timewaster brigade. Jersey already has some of the worst driving in Europe, this will only make it much worse.
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Load of cobblers.the traffic crawls now…this constable Jackson is proving to be a real menace when will someone wake him up to his little power trip.my goodness how intoxicated some of them get with a little power..YUK
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we have the facility for speed cams, as those little smiley faces or sad faces already record speed just add camera, bingo pre built speed cams,pop it in the mail no need for the sojp to hide in there unmarked skodas.
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#2 & 4 Well said.
This will be bad for the environment, something I was led to believe we were all meant to care about!
It’s pretty easy not to be involved in any vehicular accidents (either as a pedestrian or driver), it really is. The only way to make the roads safer is to come down harder on those that drive dangerously at the moment, but we don’t do that!
Still, 30mph, at least we’ll have more people falling asleep at the wheel, that’ll be safe
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@ 6 Class!
I can think of a 93 year old person who had their driving renewed a couple of years ago. No questions asked, no eyebrows raised….
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Ok, How much did this “major review” cost?
Just so we can lower speed limits – WOW, that always gets the road safety vote.
On-the-spot fines and a UK-style penalty points system – So thats the same thing they spoke about five years ago and it’s just copying England.
So the review was money well spent.
Tell you what next time I’ll do it for the same cost and mine will have MOT’s in it (always gets the road safety vote)
Oh! and “Driving like an OAP” – The SoJP have a movable speed cam, but it takes up too much time to set it up and go over all the tickets.
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I don’t know about you but when I drive slowly I get bored and start looking out of the window etc. I loose concentration and that’s when I am in danger of causing accidents !
In fact one can fail a driving test by driving too slowly, perhaps for this reason. 40 miles is the right max speed for the island. Accidents will always happen whatever speed limit is set
Another silly idea from another silly States member. Is there any hope ?
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One small step for speed limits, a giant leap for an Islandwide 20 MPH speed limit.
This is a long awaited victory for my campaign. I am sooo happy!
My fight continues.
Rose
x
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This is just the same as the gun laws that were introduced a while back, they only affect the people who adhere to the rules. Those that now drive at 50 or 60 mph and faster won’t drive any slower because the limit has been reduced.
The Police need to be out in greater numbers to tackle the problem, which happened more when they had a motorcycle section.
Mr jackson should tackle the real problem and that is the increasing number of individuals from Europe etc who drink and drive, have no licence and insurance, you only have to read the Police court in the JEP to see how bad it is.
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I think that the penny may one day drop on the general public that this is not about the speed a car travels at or where it finally ends up parking, but how much revenue can be generated by it in increased taxes.
How on earth are they going to police this? It will not stop the drunk driver or the kids on motor bikes racing at 3 in morning. These are main roads that ALL islander use and as such this should be decided by the states NOT MR JACKSON who seems to have a vendetta against the car driver and the motor industry which he represents in the states as head of TTS.
This change will have the effect of criminalising people who inadvertently wander over the ridiculous 30mph zones at 35mph and then get fined….. it’s a dictatorship gone mad.
I find it totally unacceptable that the speed limit can be changed at the whim of a politician who is just trying to justify his existence in the States of Jersey and who hates the fact that people drive cars and not boats to work!
Constable Jackson should be implementing policy to help improve traffic flow and get people parking as quickly as possible with the least inconvenience. This however would not meet the aims of private car parking companies that have now sprung up all over town and charging outrages rents to park.
How much vested interest is held by states members or ex states members in these schemes? This is totally unacceptable.
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I agree with Mulvie Le Phew@2 and truthseeker@10.
What a complete waste of time, nanny state idea thought up by stupid civil servant non job people.
I guess I have to support my above statement, and big time.
First of all, I and many thousands of islanders have been driving for a very long time, in small lanes on a small island. Do we drive at 15mph down green lanes, of course not because if we did we would be stupid, and the hardly ever to be seen pedal bike would probably overtake us. You slow down at bad bends and where you cannot see ahead.
Are the 15mph green lanes policed ? No and why ? because the police have better things to do. Another point is the underpass in St. Helier. Yep it looks like a duel carriage way going west, that’s why the police do NOT, ( except in winter on occasion, radar gun the under pass, as it’s a 30mph limit but few drive at 30 they use common sense.
When you come off the boat, as a tourist with your own transport or when you hire a car, ( a very welcome person or people, spending much needed money in Jersey ) you will see a sign saying all island speed limit 40mph.
So what happens to the poor tourist done for speeding at 35mph by the St. Clements boys and girls in uniform at 10.15pm or even maybe am on there way through St. Clement. Taxi drivers picking up people late at night, are they expected to drive very slowly, leaving customers standing in the rain ?
If two people died in the last two years at a so called blackspot on a fast bit of road in the parish, I would have some understanding. Some people (invented figure) point 0001 of the population treat Jerseys roads as a race track and always will. That’s life, as far a Mike Jackson smiling nicely at his civil servants who have to do something to qualify their wages, ask, is this really fair, is it practical, can it be policed ( like the green lanes ) or am I making a fool of myself.
If you cannot answer all the questions in an objective way, Minister Mike Jackson then you are making a fool of yourself. You also expect us all to give up the car, and then bus, cycle or walk. How are you doing on those fronts by example ?
Davey West.
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Dave 7 – I would go further and make 30 the island wide limit unless advised otherwise. Even main roads in non built-up areas are dangerous at 40, especially at night. Roads such as vic avenue and five mile road should remain at 40 though.
Dave roads aren’t dangerous, people are, if you can’t drive at 40 you can’t drive at 30 or any other speed. Lowering the speed limit just makes incompetant drivers hit things at a lower speed.
I recently went to the UK where the country roads have a 60 mph speed limit, I was being overtaken by everything as I’m used to driving on such roads at 40. After a while I got used to it and realised that 60 is quite safe in a modern car. We need enforcement measures to catch those drivers abusing the 40 limit and driving badly whatever the speed, we don’t need a blanket ban for the rest of us.
I agree with Leah I don’t understand how you can have an accident if you are paying attention. Even the police don’t call them accidents anymore, they are road traffic incidents. Remember the banner along the dual carriagway stretch just past Roberts at Springfield “a crash is not an accident”. My only concern on the road is being hit by some idiot not looking where thay are going, I’ve 3 times been hit from behind by such people in the last 5 years.
If the plan is to improve road safety show us the evidence that it will suceed in that endeavour.
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should never of got rid of theose police motorbikes all those years ago, couldn’t out run them,
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Yes do that for built up areas and take the IOM’s example and make the rest of the island unlimited speed limit and they have one of the lowest accedent rates.
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Perhaps part time limits are a better idea?
For example, when driving home at 2am on weekends (sober, may I add) the roads are pretty much deserted and 50mph on the main routes would be quite acceptable. Shock horror – raise the speed limit, won’t this lead to more deaths etc etc etc. Probably not seeing as most cars out at that time of night already do those sorts of speeds…
At busy times of day the existing 40mph limit is more appropriate and isn’t even reached half the time due to the sheer volume of traffic and getting stuck behind cyclists etc.
Part time 20mph limits past schools are generally more respected as people understand the reason for driving at 20mph when little Johnny is at risk of running out in front of you but they are able to legally go faster outside of those hours. Even if there was a 30mph limit past schools I would drive at 20-25 anyway when the kids are going in and out as although they bounce reasonably well I don’t really want to be dealing with cleaning their Sunny D off my bonnet
Per many of the comments above, bad drivers are bad drivers and making them slow down won’t make them any better. In fact, there’s a rather odd breed of driver I often get stuck behind who do 35-40 in a 30mph zone but once they go into a 40mph zone they slow down. Most bizarre.
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Mulvie Le Phew#20
Sorry to disagree Mulvie but the difference between 30 and 40 is 10mph the faster you go the quicker things happen. A 25% reduction in the speed things happen may bring some of the not so quick reflexed drivers (not necessarily bad drivers) into an environment they are safe.
A 10 MPH reduction on a two lave road means a 20mph reduction in closing speeds that’s a difference of 10ish yards a second (4 to 5 car lengths)not insignificant don’t you agree?.
Although not agreeing with an island wide limit of 30 this reduction at selected spots could save lives.
The policing of it is another matter and should not interfere with the decision of whether it would be safer for the majority or not.
WAN#15
“I don’t know about you but when I drive slowly I get bored and start looking out of the window etc. I loose concentration and that’s when I am in danger of causing accidents”
That WAN is called bad driving caused by “you” not the speed limits.
jay#11
“those little smiley faces or sad faces already record speed just add camera, bingo pre built speed cams”
If only!
Sorry jay those machines are just not accurate enough even a bad lawyer (not good at his/her job, not bad, nasty evil etc) would have any attempted prosecution based on evidence from one of these laughed out of court.
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Mulvie, I have to disagree, all other things being equal, driving at a greater speed means a greater stopping distance, a car driven at 40 takes about 60% longer to stop than a car driven at 30.
I can understand why you can have an accident if you are paying attention – the cause of the accident may be because someone else has done something idiotic/unpredictable (which maybe could have been avoided if you were driving at 30 but not 40 because of braking distance).
Pedestrian death rates also increase dramatically at higher speeds. If someone walks out in front of a car travelling at 30 and the car brakes to say 20, they have a good chance of surviving, at 40 braking to say 34 they have much less chance.
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I hate to say it but Guernsey have got this right. Two limits only – 30mph on major roads and 20mph for all others. Trust Jersey to not keep it simple!
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PJG 24 –
Mulvie Le Phew#20
Sorry to disagree Mulvie but the difference between 30 and 40 is 10mph the faster you go the quicker things happen. A 25% reduction in the speed things happen may bring some of the not so quick reflexed drivers (not necessarily bad drivers) into an environment they are safe.
A 10 MPH reduction on a two lave road means a 20mph reduction in closing speeds that’s a difference of 10ish yards a second (4 to 5 car lengths)not insignificant don’t you agree?.
I disagree, why penalise perfectly capable drivers ( the majority ) in an attempt to ensure that those less able avoid making contact with other vehicles or the scenery. Thos not confident can drive within their ability, they don’t have to drive at 40 in a 40 zone although I would suggest that anyone incaple of doing so should be tested, the same roads in the UK have 60mph limits with no significant increase in incidents.
“Although not agreeing with an island wide limit of 30 this reduction at selected spots could save lives”.
I don’t disagree that it COULD but I’m afraid that the possibility that it might is not compelling evidence. I want to know that research proves that IT WILL before this punitive measure is put in place.
If as is claimed the intention is to reduce the number of incidents let’s see the evidence that excessive speed is a factor, lets not just assume that it is. Also is a reduction in the speed limit the most effective means of preventing “accidents” I submit that it is not. Actively punishing those who drive poorly, exceed existing speed limits and present a danger to other road users would have more effect. Lets have people who are caught behaving in this manner forced to re take their driving test or lose their licence. In short let’s correctly police the laws we have rather than introduce further legislation that will be ignored by the law breakers and prove a massive inconvenience to the rest of us.
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If only every driver used a bit of common sense and had respect for all other road users there would be no need for speed limits anywhere!There are bad drivers everywhere who think that they are the most important person on the road and these are the ones who cause the problems.Driving home from Norfolk last week we were stunned at the number of idiots overtaking to get one car ahead when there was a queue of traffic up ahead anyway.Some would do this when there was oncoming traffic and drivers were having to slam on their brakes and let them in to the queue to save the oncoming driver from being injured.Sheer madness but I think in some way it makes them feel superior!!
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#25 Dave
A car driven at 40 takes about 60% longer to stop than a car driven at 30.
No it doesn’t. Prove that fact right and I will eat my hat.
You are probably getting inforamtion from the UK government’s website, which, by their own addmission, is using data from 1982.
Braking didstance have more than halved since then.
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Mulvie Le Phew#24
Driving is not a math’s or English question where one has a relatively exact answer, driving is many many tangibles from inexperience, to having an argument with a loved one affecting ones concentration therefore ones reactions to others. We have a standard of driving to be able to pass a test. After passing that “lowest” allowed standard one is set free on the roads to gain experience. At this stage a new drivers reading of the road conditions and experience of what others like the half asleep WAN can do at an approaching speed of 80MPH is why we have limits not for the best of situations but for what’s realistic to expect.
You may be the good self professed driver you claim to be, others who have also passed the test may at the moment you expect them to be doing one thing do another. You Mulvie “could” then be the statistic, what a shame to lose your contributions on here because your desire for “absolute” proof of speed causing collisions held up an obvious common sense speed restriction. The only good thing that would come from such a death would be doubters like yourself may be convinced, but too late, that’s the problem with “proving” speed causes death, someone has to die, it’s easy in hindsight but not much good for those involved.
Good driving is not, go as fast as you can and not have incidents, its defensive driving.
In short, expect everybody else to make all mistakes possible and make sure you have an escape route to stop them hitting you, and hope they are driving the same when you make a mistake. I am sure even you Mulvie must confess to an occasional mistake, in driving that is, not spelling.
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They complain it’s too hard to cross the road. That’s just fear, I can’t imagine any driver not slowing down when they find someone crossing the road ahead – they wouldn’t just plow into them!
Besides, if traffic moves more slowly then it spreads out, so it will be even harder to cross the road!
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FITTER
RE: Driving like an OAP
Drive carefully now we dont want the starting handle to drop off your austin 7 do we.
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PJG @ 30, you seem to be ignoring Mulvie’s point, is travelling at excess speed the cause of most accidents. It isn’t see the governments own figures – http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-407521/Only-20-road-accidents-caused-breaking-speed-limit.html
If driving at speed only accounts for 5% of accidents then what is responsible for the other 95% – bad driving. Why not deal with the bad drivers instead of punishing everyone else.You seem to assume that speed causes accidents when the stats say otherwise. As for people walking into the road and getting hit – serves the idiots right, I’d be suing for a re spray.
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Seems like a good idea, perhaps not the 15mph to 20 change, this year has seen considerably more road deaths than normal remember.
Heavy on the spot fines could easily pay for one undercover police officer.
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Apologies no 29 and thanks for pointing that out. Yes I am getting the distances from the highway code and I did not realise is was so out of date, but I would add a few points:
1.Not all cars driven on Jersey are modern or have ABS brakes
2.The reaction time does not alter whether the car is new of old.
3.Although newer cars stop faster at all speeds, a car new car driven at 40 would take longer to stop than one at driven at thirty.
Even if the highway code figures are not accurate, the general principle remains the same – if you have to do an emergency stop and end up hitting someone, they are much more likely to survive if you are driving at 30 rather than 40.
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#16 Dream on Rosemary, if that happened you’d pretty much be the only one living here! The rest of us would actually wish to maintain some driving skill (something that any policeperson will tell you is going to go completely out the window with a 200mph limit!) Let’s be honest, who’s going to bother to pay attention on the roads when they’re going so slow the cyclists are overtaking them? Speaking of, are cyclists going to be done for speeding?
You know as well as the rest of us that this is nothing to do with your fight it’s just about bringing in easy money. Perish the thought we would ever target actual criminals or tax people properly.
And Rosemary, what about the environment? Is that not more important anymore?
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Leah don’t let Bead get to you, it’s a wind up. She/he was exposed some time ago and has kept quiet since, I don’t think she/he could resist commenting on a speed related topic. I’ve monitored her posts and they are contradictory, you imagine some niave old lady dreaming of days gone by, the reality is some unimaginitive fool who having been exposed lacks the talent to invent another persona.
Lets all chip in – who can Mrs Bead be next?
Thanks Obi San but I fear the message is still not getting through – SPEED DOES NOT KILL.Thanks for your link I thought it was 4% but it appears as many as 5% of accidents are caused by speed, wow that leaves 95% being caused by bad driving. I know which should we address, bad driving and remove those idiots messing it up for everyone else, or speeding which can be turned into a cash cow under the health and safety banner – no brainer for this money hungry bunch of morons governing us.
Lets actively police the laws we have and get the bad drivers off the road, this would be 19 times more effective than enforcing meaningless speed limits that the speeders will ignore anyway.
Mind you I suppose we have to find the 6 million that’s just been given to the old boys club of states workers who have just received the golden handshake – £82,000 wtf.
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If you lower the speed limit to 20, the roads will be “even safer”, if you go down to 10, “safer” still. And the man with the red flag would precvent any accidents if there were also a 4 mph limit.
Where will this nonsense stop? The most dangerous thing about Jersey roads is drivers who drive too slowly, usually 22mph on the coast road. Fine if you want to drive at that speed, just pull over and let all the cras pass. They never do though and everyone has to try and overtake. Those type of people seldom have accidents but probably cause dozens…..
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Rosemary Bead should do us all a favour and go to live in Sark
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Couldn’t agree more with you Thorpey!!! Bring back the bikes, and implement more speed/police checks. If you’ve doen nothing wrong, what’s the problem with being stopped?
Mrs Rosemary Bead, that is one of the craziest things i’ve read on here for some time! You can’t have an island wide speed limit of 20mph. Even if you did, you wouldn’t cut accidents!
I agree that there are areas where 30 should be imposed but let’s not do what the states always seem to do, and go overboard!!
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#36 Thanks Mulvie.
Does that mean no little dogs actually died in the making of her story?
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Leah, ah yes the dogs, poor little shitzhu had the threpenny bits which kept her from posting for a time.
The other dog a miniture terrier got locked in the bathroom at a dinner party and a drunken guest, realising that there was no loo roll, wiped and flushed the poor little fella down the toilet.
She’s no better with pets than she is with cars it would seem.
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Good Idea 30mph, make it in the Summer months all along the coastal roads, leave the back roads/lanes alone for Locals!!!!
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Alan @ 26.
If only that were the case.
In Gsy we have 5,10,12,15,25 and 35 limits.
There are calls for the coast roads to be 40.
We also have some unofficial zones that are marked as 25 but most people do 35. Some have been taken to court but the cases were dismissed as most people do 35 the court accept it as a 35 limit.
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Calm down everyone, If they do reduce the speed limits, its not that a big a deal!
Mobile phones are very cheap now, everyone simply get a pay as you go one and keep it in your car, then if you are a bit behind for work or a meeting, or you’ve just left the pub and running late getting home, simply phone ahead and explain the problem, you can have a nice chat while on your way there!
Love & Hugs.
xxx
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If we had gone metric when we should have done, we would now be looking at logical speed limit breaks at 40 (for green lanes, schools and shops), 60 (for most other roads), and 80kph (for Victoria Avenue and Five Mile Road).
Look at your speedo if it has both scales. The Metric break points are far more logical.
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Due to ever increasing (over) population is there any need for a 30mph limit?
The more people on the roads the slower will be the average speed. Get enough on the roads and we will get gridlock.
However when finance leaves, or is severly curtailed, then the roads will be less congested like in temps passe.
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The most dangerous thing about driving in Jersey is having to look at the speedometer every 2 mins to check u haven’t gone slightly over the limit! Dropping it to 30 is ridiculous!! And Rosmary dear get with the times! 20mph? Are you still driving a horse and cart???
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The problem here is that all of you have the moronic view that driving faster and faster means a better quality of life. It doesn’t. Its idiots like you who start wars and cause global warmings.
I take offence to anyone accusing me of being an imposter. Unlike most of you I am the real deal.
A 20mph speed limit has many benifits and few downsides. It is the answer the earth and the himan race is looking for.
You are all mad!
Rose
x
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Well you lot – we residents of St Clement have had this 30mph slapped on us without so much as a by your leave and we have to lump it. I have one thing to say about this – all the vehicle drivers and motorcyclists that persistently ignore the 40mph speed limit on the roads of St Clement are hardly likely to take any notice of a 30 mph limit! What is the point? I would also be interested to know how much money has been spent on all of the new road signs that seem to have popped up every 100 yards to remind road users that the limit is 30mph, especially when there were none before!
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Mrs Bead…alive and well in La La land. I do not really think the earth or the rest of the Human race is really waiting for 20mph to be introduced in Jersey. Nobody is suggesting an increase in speed limits as far as I was aware just that the staus quo be maintained. You also should be aware that most cars run very inefficiantly at 20mph so the planet is not holding its breath for your speeding revolution. Appropriate speed limits for the road conditions makes much more sense
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Isn’t there a law that says that they aren’t allowed to reduce a speed limit if, after a survey into speeds has been carried out, it would make more than 15% of drivers break the new limit? In other words, the average motorist is perfectly capable of safely judging what speed is safe for the prevailing conditions, and only a minority drive unsafely – so we can use the average motorist’s recorded speeds to determine what is reasonable.
If more than 15% of motorists do more than 30mph along the coast road, then a 30mph limit would be unlawful.
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49 Mrs Rosemary Bead…problem is if you are tootling round at twenty mph and busy people are doing 40 mph you are in danger of being rear ended while dawdling,now some on here may think there’s an upside to that scenario….to say nothing of the implications of possible whiplash.
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R B Bougourd#46
Is that because they are faster than 15, 30 and 40 MPH?
Using your argument why not 30, 40 and 50, kph?
It’s possible that you are a good driver – perhaps the best – but the problem is, you are sharing the road with a whole load of lesser skilled drivers. If you drive too fast, you might be able to stop – but will they? Do they deserve to die because they are not as good as you?
If all speed limits were increased by 10mph the time saving on a journey from Gorey, Corbier or Bon Nuit to town due to Jersey traffic would be no more than a few minutes, not like UK where average journeys are much longer and potential time savings with a 5mph increase can be enormous and worth considering.
Are some of you saying increased limits would save lives? Prove it then.
It’s a fact slower pedestrian impact speeds result in fewer fatalities. Would the time saved on short Jersey journeys be a good return on the lives wasted due to faster speed limits, even one?
Obi St. Ouen Kenobi#33
I agree not all of them, just “some” and that’s enough for me to think we need to do something.
I am not saying speed is all that causing deaths on the road, I think the biggest killer is inexperience and our speed limits should reflect some drivers are not as experienced as some posters on here seem think they are.
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Please ignore Rosemary Bead.
She is just a wind up merchant trying to get everyones backs up.
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#49 “you have the moronic view that driving faster and faster means a better quality of life” Rosemary, seriously, we’re not boy racers, they won’t be on here due to an inability to read words of more than one syllable! Fact: the majority of people drive at an appropriate speed for the conditions. The actual problem is (and will remain, regardless of the speed limit) that we fail to deal properly with those that don’t.
Environmental harm is an extremely BIG downside, and one that will actually harm humankind, it outweighs any self-proclaimed upside to a 20mph limit. I really cannot see why you claim to want what’s good for humankind yet ignore that fact! 20mph? BAD for the earth, BAD for any species it hosts!
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Dear Rosemary Bead
At 20/30mph cars are far less efficient and as such these reduced speed limites will be harmful to the plant!
Get real!
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Dear Rosemary Bead,
Imagine an ambulance driving to you in need at 20mph.
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Imagine all the people who do your plumbing, fix your washing machine, sort out your Internet, etc driving around the island at half the speed they do at the moment.
They are going to need bigger cheques for their services to cover their costs.
But we are all trying to keep Jersey competitive!
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I am trying to think like you all, but my brain just won’t slow down that much.
A 20mph speed limit will make people take public transport and buy smaller more efficient cars. Only the disabled or families will use cars – the average human shouldn’t need to use a car on this small island.
Slawek, ambulances don’t stick to the speed limit. They have special permission to drive faster.
Not only the above, but a lower speed limit will mean less accidents.
Lower emissions, slower pace of life, safer roads, healthier citizens.
We could be world leaders.
Visionaries are often mocked when they first introduce ideas. This is particularly so in NIMBY Jersey.
Rose
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Dear Rosemary Bead
Please please please do learn that cars use MORE fuel per mile when driving slower. Optimum speed (with maximum mpg) varies from car to car but it is on the order of 50 – 80 mph.
Go, buy or hire a car having travel computer , and test this on your own. Go to France to be able to drive faster – you WILL see the proof.
Speed limit is a speed limit. Ambulance can go beyond, but doctor heading to hospital in his private car NOT. Do you have another puppy ? Well if something went wrong with him you would have to crawl in your car 20mph to the vet, having much more time in your car to watch him dying. What a pace of live.
Buses also do not have permissions to drive faster. People will not use buses unless service, frequency and reliability improves. Limiting speed to 20mph will not affect either of it.
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Dear Mrs Bead,
Congratulations on being the best wind up merchant we have had on here for a while. You certainly know who to get people irate.
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#58 Sure Rosemary, some of us do actually leave the island once in a while
Don’t worry yourself about the stress of being a visionary, nothing could be further from the truth.
The speed limit has nothing to do with accidents, bad driving AND bad pedestrians take care of that. See my earlier post, it takes a real idiot to cause any kind of accident (whether driver or pedestrian) especially somewhere like Jersey, maybe all we need is an intelligence test on top of the current driving test?
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Rosemary- Slower speed limits do not equal less accidents. In any case RTC’s are not a real problem in Jersey and a 20mph limit would be unenforceable as most would ignore. Furthermore check your facts 20mph would actually result in higher emmissions as most cars are not designed to run at this slow speed. Thank goodness your daft suggestion will never come to pass aas the island would grind to a halt. If you want a slow way of life try Sark. Ideally suited to someone of your view point!!
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treehugger. I agree with current cars slower speed limits would increase emmisions in the short term. But, there are some small cars with lower emissions in the market now. People would get rid of gas guzzlers in favour of low emission cars and hence drive the market toward developing low speed energy efficient cars. We could develop and make them here in Jersey. We could be world leaders in transport technology and lower speed, greener, safer, and happier citizens to boot.
Global warmings is caused by people like you thinking in the short term. The real objective to saving the earth is to think in the long term, and you lot just haven’t got the ability to think this way, which is very very sad
Rose
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From all of your comments above I take it that you disagree with my vision of a 20MPH islandwide speed limit? If that is the case then that is your choice to make, but one I fear is the death knell of the human race and the earth.
Sadly for me, comments made by the likes of Leah Holmes, Treehugger and others set off my Angina, and my health concerns limit my ability to fight back, and, indeed go on fighting global warmings.
Poor little Jimmy, my beloved Jack Russelll is distressed at the sight of his mother having an Angina attack at the computer, it gives him the runs. Therefore it is with regret that this is my last ever comment on this website.
Hopefully, despite some of the foes I have met on this site, who have laughed at and belittled my views, I have made friends too.
It is to those friends I have met and the admirable foes that I now turn and say I shall continue my campaign in your hearts and in your souls, and when the 20MPH speed limit is brought in and all the benifits it gives – you will thank me, Rosemary Bead for the years of campaigning and visionary ideas that made your lives better.
Remember me. A fond farewell to you all and remember we can change, YES WE CAN!
Rose
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If they have their way,it will be nearly impossible to reach the dizzy speed of 30mph.
There are too many cars in Jersey as it is, and these people want to increase the population to 120,000, if they are allowed to get away with it thing will become a great deal worse.
There has to be a saturation point.
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@ 64
Bye then, “luv”
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Rosemary , my daring wife,
Would you please stop talking drivel on the internet chat place, and go and clear up the poo that you little dog has just done on the lounge floor?
And after you have done that, I will take you for a drive in our new Ferrari.
Your loving husband.
Mr Bead.
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Leah Holmes @36
200 mph !!! me and my Bugatti Veyron would love that
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#70
Well spotted.
Got room for a passenger, love the Veyron.
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I hope that they do not go down the UK route and put cameras and ugly radar boxes everywhere. Cash machines we call them, simply cash machines with no benefit as to safety. 30 mph is going to cause more aggression not less and more impatient people that is for sure. Soon we will all need to buy a red flag, and walk in front of the car whilst the wife drives behind.
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Not a bad idea, I like to catch the bus or walk enjoying the views. As I did the other night, whilst rolling a cigarette on the way home. I only thought about this in the morning.. but if i had picked it up, it wouldn’t have taken so long to get home !!!
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@36 Leah Holmes
I exagerated slightly , I should have said my Suzuki Carry cant get a racing kart in a Veyron !!
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Sorry all it was a wind up…
30 MPH limits what a joke lucky its April first…
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everywere to be 30mph and 20mph.
drivers are doing as they please parking anywere / on bus stops,overtaking on double white lines / overtaking two three cars behind / speeding / and not giving way like the old Jersey way. The word SLOW DOWN OR DIE.
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I see that this is going to happen in St Clements on Friday. Whats the betting that the police will be out with their radar guns this weekend, getting more fines into the parish coffers !
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Chris- bit of an emotional outburst, and the logic of your argument is? Furthermore is the old Jersey way in the highway code? As far as your last out burst is concerned speed limits will not stop accidents largely caused by bad driving and idiots driving at speeds well in excess of current limits. Better policing is the real answer
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#76 And how will a change to the speed limit change SOME drivers doing whatever the hell they like?
Can someone finally see common sense on this issue? The evidence is all out there, ask the RAC or the AA, MOST of us drive at a safe speed according to the surroundings and conditions. Those that don’t will continue to drive dangerously unless they are tackled harder (i.e. remove their licences permanently).
To do anything other than start removing licences from proven bad drivers is just to admit that it’s about money rather than safety.
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Jersey could actually lead the way and start taking hard action on bad drivers, now there’s a novel thought! I doubt even the EU would try and claim that a driving licence is a human right.
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I dare the authorities to publish full Traffic Collision statistics for St.Clements for the last 10 years, and then do the same in 10 years time. Will they accept that this lower limit was not needed if the figures show no change, or even an upward change due to bored and frustrated drivers?
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Its only the speed limit that has changed ! No modern technology has been introduced to slow down thouse who drive without consideration to the conditions !
The only difference now is that thouse who fought for a lower speed will get even angrier at thouse who appear to drive too fast !
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No More Speed Limits Please!!!!!
What is this Island playing at? most of the time the Island is so jamed up with traffic that it’s speed is self controlled, it is rediculous to apply any further speed restrictions why not stop cars altogether ” that’s safe!” come on grow up people have stopped taking any notice of these unrealistic speed limits it’s all become a noncence.
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