Review of Speed Limit Policy - D.Le Pleurian - Submission 09 February 2011

Dear Sir,

Looking at the States website I noticed that you were looking for feedback from the general public on the above matter, therefore I would like to make the following comments and observations:-

The current Island system of 15, 20, 30 mph etc speed limits is a total joke, you never know from one minute to the next within which limit you are driving. I realise that sometimes there are smaller signs at the side of the road but not in all cases and to have to be looking out for which limit you are currently driving in is rather less important I feel then actually keeping your eyes on the road and concentrating on what you should be doing which is driving and looking at the road ahead. I have noticed that many of these speed limit signs are placed in hedges etc and certainly during the summer months at least are completely hidden from view by bushes and trees which obviously bloom over this period. I must also say that the numerous road signs that are put up around the Island indicating the various speed limits (as well

as others with completely useless information, please see next paragraph) do not in anyway enhance the beauty of the Island at all and I think that the Island

authorities have become obsessed together with the Health and Safety brigade over putting up signs, its a case now of treat all adults like they are children a truly nanny state!.

To give you an example I can think of one very quite country lane (its behind St. Lawrence Primary School) where there are signs along the road (although nothing to do with speed limits, it just shows how obsessed the Islands authorities have become about sign posts) which warn of "traffic delays between the hours of 08.45am and 09.00am and between 15.30pm and 15.45pm" due to parents collecting their kids from school. Was it really necessary to put up a few signs in this very quite country lane to warn of what can only be considered as a very minor disruption that happens twice a day for around 15 to 20 minutes, which does not really concern anybody apart from the actual people who are dropping off/collecting their kids and

are already well aware of the situation. This small quite country lane does not have any business's along it indeed there is only a non working farm and one house. I think someone in this Island is earning a nice living making all of these unsightly and state the bleeding obvious road signs!  

However back to speed signs it has been proved in other countries that the actual removal of speed calming measures can reduce the risk of accidents, I know for a fact that I have heard about this in the news although I can't remember which country it was.

Also as regards speed limits in "Green Lanes", its all very nice having roads where horses have priority over the motorist, however we no longer live in the time when the horse and cart are the primary form of transport, we live in the day of the motor car and if someone is reckless enough to drive in a small country lane at say 30 or 40 mph where they can't see around the next corner, well I am afraid to say that the fact that it is a "Green Lane" will not stop them. Its all right having all these different speed limits all over the Island however its like everything thing else unless you can police them you are simply just adding to the copious amounts of laws and bureaucracy that this Island is already bogged down with.

Along now with all these speed signs that we have to put up with is the

electronic "smiley/grumpy face" speed camera. Now as I understand

it these electronic signs are supposed to be moved at regular intervals simply because if they are left in the same location the motorist gets used to them and they have no effect at all. I can think of a few places around the Island (and one in particular) where these electronic signs have been placed (in addition to speed limit signs!) and simply left for months on end and the end result is exactly as stated no one takes any notice of them. Its just another unsightly load of rubbish at the side of the road to enhance our beautiful countryside.

The other problem of course is that a Parish administers some roads and the Public administers others so again you don't have one body making an Island wide decision which in itself leads to inconsistency and to many variations of speed limits.

Furthermore what is the point of having a speed limit of say 15 or 20 when you are likely to be passed by someone riding a bicycle, I certainly see some cyclists travelling at these sorts of speeds or are they going to be exempt?, surely if a cyclist hits a pedestrian the chances of injury are just as bad, but for some reason they can get away without even carrying third party insurance or being registered.

Then of course you have the speed limit within a speed limit like the one outside of St. Lawrence School for example but it is only in force at certain times of the day when amber lights are flashing, however you may not notice the amber lights flashing due to the electronic smiley/grumpy face speed camera which will catch your attention. Again far to many signs serving no purpose at all because as far as I am aware the children actually exit the school at the country lane to the rear of the school.

I also note that Mr. Mike Higgins has asked for the speed limit to be reduced along St. Aubin's Inner Road, I would have thought with the amount of traffic that goes along that road and with it being a major route into the capital that it is already clogged up enough without slowing everything down to a snails pace. What is the reason for Mr. Mike Higgins raising this matter re St. Aubin's Inner Road and not any other road in the Island, could it be because he lives along it!!

The States are quite happy to take tax from the motorist in the form of petrol duty etc in order to use the public roads however they don't seem so quick in making

life easier for the motorist (i.e. they take away parking spaces, increase the parking charges etc), however other road users like cyclists and horse riders seem to get away with not paying any tax, not needing insurance and are not registered. I am sure if the people of Jersey were given a decent bus service for travel then at least some people (but not all due to work commitments etc) would use it however we are not given this option.  

Regardless of all these speed limits which people argue for if someone is going to drive like an idiot then they will do so whatever the speed limit is, a sign in the road will not stop them, all it does is provide an excuse for the authorities to say that the signs are there for public safety purposes, to spend an absolute fortune putting up/changing the signs and no doubt employing an army of civil servants to oversee all of the maintenance etc when behind the scenes the States are really just using them as an excuse to take more money in fines.  

Yours sincerely David Le Peurian