New 30mph limit on the A40 Westway is dangerously slow
The Westway route just out of central London (to Shepherds Bush) is a three lane dual carriage way flyover, so there are no pedestrians, and yet the speed limit has just been cut from 50mph to 30mph.
I find this type of decision quite difficult to understand and it’s made me feel less safe. As a frequent scooter rider, it’s virtually impossible to stick to the speed limit; if I go 30mph everyone is on my tail or beeping dangerously, as the road is naturally much faster, and people simply haven’t adapted to the new speed limit. There are no speed cameras on the road, so most people still go at the old limit, leaving it tough to stick to the new one.
I’ve tried searching online but I’ve not seen any rationale or explanation as to why it’s changed or who made this decision. It doesn’t seem sensible to me, but of course if there is proven evidence that it would make the road manifestly safer that’s fair enough, but at least explain to the likely 10,000s or 100,000s who use the road why it’s changed (has anyone seen any info on this?). Certainly there’s no road signage explaining why.
People need obey speed limits, but to get people to respect them, speed limits also need be rational and feel right. This isn’t the only three lane motorway-esque road with 30 or 40mph speed limits, and when driving late at night when it’s empty, it can simply feel ridiculous.
If the idea of the limits is to make rush hour traffic flow better, surely the sensible option in an age of digital signage is to have variable time or congestion driven speed limits on big roads.
