More than 6,400 drivers race on A23 roadworks (From The Argus)
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More than 6,400 drivers race on A23 roadworks
11:20am Friday 11th January 2013 in News By Neil Vowles
Thousands of motorists are ignoring speed limits at roadworks on the A23
A motorist travelling at more than twice the speed limit was among more than 6,400 drivers caught racing through major roadworks in just three months.
Thousands of motorists have been caught exceeding the 40mph limit on the A23 between Handcross and Warninglid since engineering work started in October.
One driver was caught travelling at 90mph along the two and half mile stretch late at night in December.
So far, misbehaving motorists have paid 947 fines at a cost of more than £56,000, with all income raised going to the Treasury.
Hundreds more will be issued with their fines once paperwork and checks have been completed to ensure that the right people are being punished.
At the current rate, more than £1million of fines could be collected during the duration of the works, which are scheduled to end in autumn 2014.
There have also been 492 motorists who have attended speed awareness courses, with more than a thousand in the process of being booked in for their course.
Worst offenders
Most motorists caught travelling at between 46mph and 53mph are offered a speed awareness course, while drivers caught travelling between 54mph and 65mph are given an automatic offer of £60 fine and three penalty points or the opportunity to challenge the matter in court.
The worst offenders, who are caught travelling at more than 65mph, will appear in court, although the first of these offenders have yet to appear before a magistrate.
The average speed cameras, installed and operated by Sussex Safer Roads Partnership, are being used in the county for the first time.
They use cameras that scan a vehicle’s number plate and record its details as it enters and exits the covered zone.
Lives at risk
Phil Henty, the operations manager for Sussex Safer Roads Partnership, said the average speed cameras were having a “significant effect” on speeds through the roadworks.
He said: “When the scheme was first put in place, 1 in 100 vehicles were driving at over 40mph.
“This has now dropped to 1 in 1,000 – and it appears that numbers are still falling.
“There are still a few road users who think that it is acceptable to drive in excess of the speed limit.
“These people are putting themselves and others at risk.”
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Comments(35)
worthingite
says...
11:53am Fri 11 Jan 13
worthingite
says...
11:53am Fri 11 Jan 13
co.uk/news/10023706.
__50_000_a_month_spe
ed_cameras/
Sarah Booker Lewis
says...
11:56am Fri 11 Jan 13
worthingite wrote:The story you mention covers the first month of roadworks. This is an up-to-date story with figures for November and December.
Same story,same picture,done in November 2012........
aat99
says...
12:00pm Fri 11 Jan 13
charlie smirke
says...
12:08pm Fri 11 Jan 13
Rocco10
says...
12:11pm Fri 11 Jan 13
Rostrum
says...
12:11pm Fri 11 Jan 13
Was it justified to impose the speed limit?
Did the roadworks over-run?
Charismatic Andrew
says...
12:15pm Fri 11 Jan 13
...... I'm now waiting for my 'Speed Awareness Course' date to come through.....
Tailgaters Anonymous
says...
12:18pm Fri 11 Jan 13
How anyone can berate the Argus for a sensible, accurate piece of reporting, for once, escapes me!
Cyclic
says...
12:18pm Fri 11 Jan 13
Rostrum wrote:There have been at least 2 that I know of involving 2 or more cars. Probably due to speeding.
How many accidents were there?
Was it justified to impose the speed limit?
Did the roadworks over-run?
The speed limit is entirely justified as it is a major roadwork scheme, it needs to preserve the safety of the workers there if anything else. It really only adds about 5 minutes to my daily commute, except when there is an accident of course.
They will be there until next year.
Rostrum
says...
12:22pm Fri 11 Jan 13
Tailgaters Anonymous wrote:Thanks. Those were the salient point that should have been in the story. There too much about monetary cost and not enough real news or background data.
...seem to recall hardly a week goes by without some collision occurring in the lanes affected by the roadworks, some quite serious. How anyone can berate the Argus for a sensible, accurate piece of reporting, for once, escapes me!
Rostrum
says...
12:23pm Fri 11 Jan 13
Cyclic wrote:Thanks. Those were the salient point that should have been in the story. There too much about monetary cost and not enough real news or background data.
Rostrum wrote: How many accidents were there? Was it justified to impose the speed limit? Did the roadworks over-run?There have been at least 2 that I know of involving 2 or more cars. Probably due to speeding. The speed limit is entirely justified as it is a major roadwork scheme, it needs to preserve the safety of the workers there if anything else. It really only adds about 5 minutes to my daily commute, except when there is an accident of course. They will be there until next year.
Rostrum
says...
12:24pm Fri 11 Jan 13
Cyclic wrote:Thanks. Those were the salient point that should have been in the story. There too much about monetary cost and not enough real news or background data.
Rostrum wrote: How many accidents were there? Was it justified to impose the speed limit? Did the roadworks over-run?There have been at least 2 that I know of involving 2 or more cars. Probably due to speeding. The speed limit is entirely justified as it is a major roadwork scheme, it needs to preserve the safety of the workers there if anything else. It really only adds about 5 minutes to my daily commute, except when there is an accident of course. They will be there until next year.
olebut
says...
12:46pm Fri 11 Jan 13
If you are in that much of a hurry fly or go by train.
As a motorist of many years I have no sympathy with those who are caught
bogs
says...
12:51pm Fri 11 Jan 13
Hoarder12345444
says...
1:01pm Fri 11 Jan 13
emma barnes
says...
1:19pm Fri 11 Jan 13
boredofbrighton
says...
1:21pm Fri 11 Jan 13
NickBtn
says...
1:40pm Fri 11 Jan 13
boredofbrighton wrote:I'm sure that they'll be "educated" by the speed awareness course or the fines/points that come from not knowing about average speed cameras!
Most days I see people in the outside and middle lanes slamming on their brakes in front of me, suddenly dropping right down to 40mph when they see the first set of cameras, and then speeding up once they have passed them. Perhaps some education as to what the term 'Average speed cameras' actually means would help people in this situation. I'm sure quite a lot of people think these cameras act like standard speed cameras.
blacktopsoldier
says...
1:44pm Fri 11 Jan 13
Rocco10 wrote:think you will find the norm allowed/recommended is 10% error on speedo plus 2mph
So what happens to drivers caught between 40 and 46mph? Or is the limit actually 46 and the signs just say 40?
does anyone have a cure for the annoying pillocks that speed past my truck and then brake down to 30 mph,
Rocco10
says...
3:26pm Fri 11 Jan 13
blacktopsoldier wrote:46mph it is then. Lol!
Rocco10 wrote: So what happens to drivers caught between 40 and 46mph? Or is the limit actually 46 and the signs just say 40?think you will find the norm allowed/recommended is 10% error on speedo plus 2mph does anyone have a cure for the annoying pillocks that speed past my truck and then brake down to 30 mph,
funkyyoyo
says...
3:33pm Fri 11 Jan 13
Nosfaratu
says...
8:31pm Fri 11 Jan 13
imnotpc
says...
10:08pm Fri 11 Jan 13
Cyclic wrote:at least 2!! oh wow how devasting lol please get a grip hahaha
Rostrum wrote:There have been at least 2 that I know of involving 2 or more cars. Probably due to speeding.
How many accidents were there?
Was it justified to impose the speed limit?
Did the roadworks over-run?
The speed limit is entirely justified as it is a major roadwork scheme, it needs to preserve the safety of the workers there if anything else. It really only adds about 5 minutes to my daily commute, except when there is an accident of course.
They will be there until next year.
bikerjimbo
says...
10:45pm Fri 11 Jan 13
blacktopsoldier
says...
2:51am Sat 12 Jan 13
blacktopsoldier
says...
3:00am Sat 12 Jan 13
AmboGuy
says...
1:29pm Sat 12 Jan 13
imnotpc wrote:Troll alert
Cyclic wrote:at least 2!! oh wow how devasting lol please get a grip hahaha
Rostrum wrote:There have been at least 2 that I know of involving 2 or more cars. Probably due to speeding.
How many accidents were there?
Was it justified to impose the speed limit?
Did the roadworks over-run?
The speed limit is entirely justified as it is a major roadwork scheme, it needs to preserve the safety of the workers there if anything else. It really only adds about 5 minutes to my daily commute, except when there is an accident of course.
They will be there until next year.
Troll alert
davyboy
says...
2:46pm Sat 12 Jan 13
Nosfaratu
says...
3:40pm Sat 12 Jan 13
blacktopsoldier wrote:There is a lack of them - they are not needed.
and, bikerjim,speed limits are not the only thing that should be obeyed,but that would involve using policemen,and there seems to be a lack of them where they are needed
Thats why they have spy cameras up on tall 'Bright Yellow Posts' so you know someone is watching you.
Believe me 'Average Speed Cameras' work ! They are permanent on some roads !
remluf
says...
8:43pm Sat 12 Jan 13
blacktopsoldier
says...
8:09am Sun 13 Jan 13
Nosfaratu wrote:so how exactly would the cameras on bright yellow posts catch someone on their mobile? and people cause enough problems with just that one example, within these roadworks and anywhere else. the officers are needed as well as the plain vehicles because self policing doesn't work
blacktopsoldier wrote:There is a lack of them - they are not needed.
and, bikerjim,speed limits are not the only thing that should be obeyed,but that would involve using policemen,and there seems to be a lack of them where they are needed
Thats why they have spy cameras up on tall 'Bright Yellow Posts' so you know someone is watching you.
Believe me 'Average Speed Cameras' work ! They are permanent on some roads !
brightonmike2011
says...
4:15pm Sun 13 Jan 13
I was in the outside lane alongside other vehicles and the only way for me to get out of his way, was to have sped up myself until I had gotten past a stream of at least 20 cars in the "slow" lane. I obviously didn't because this would have meant I'd have gotten caught by the cameras also.
The sad thing is that people can't stick to it. It's annoying, yes, but if you stick to it and go with the flow of traffic it only takes 10 minutes or so to get through.
Once you're through, if you want to do 95mph+ and put other peoples lives in danger that's your prerogative.
The most important thing with speed is to look at what everybody else is doing and do a similar speed yourself, providing you're not breaking a limit of course. If you're going too slow or too fast you're disrupting traffic flow which causes traffic problems and accidents.
Umbro907
says...
2:06pm Mon 14 Jan 13
Rostrum wrote:What workers?
Cyclic wrote:Thanks. Those were the salient point that should have been in the story. There too much about monetary cost and not enough real news or background data.Rostrum wrote: How many accidents were there? Was it justified to impose the speed limit? Did the roadworks over-run?There have been at least 2 that I know of involving 2 or more cars. Probably due to speeding. The speed limit is entirely justified as it is a major roadwork scheme, it needs to preserve the safety of the workers there if anything else. It really only adds about 5 minutes to my daily commute, except when there is an accident of course. They will be there until next year.
I agree though, 90mph is inexcusible.
aat99 says...
11:47am Fri 11 Jan 13
We must ban cyclists now !