The last couple of days have seen an average-speed-camera enforced 40 mph limit on a section of the Newcastle Western Bypass. This stretch of road is allegedly one of the most congested in Europe and it is very soon to have major repairs undertaken on one of its bridges.

The road is a typical f uck-up - two lanes open into three for an overtaking stretch up an incline, which then converge into two lanes, just as another slip road brings another route onto the bypass and another slip road exits the bypass to head-off elsewhere.

The traffic on the bypass - in its normal state - during rush hours, is pretty much a combination of crawling and standstill.

Over the last couple of days with the ASCs in place on the section to be repaired, the traffic has continued to move at pretty much 40 mph throughout - I can even set the cruise at 39 mph and never touch the brakes. Even allowing for the time of year when the schools will soon close and the roads quieten somewhat, this is a major result IMHO.

The enforced speed limit has pretty much removed the grief caused by the Tdi crowd hammering up the overtaking lane and causing cascade braking as they cut-in at the last moment.

There's been considerable traffic flow research carried out over the last few months as a precursor to the major roadworks and it looks as though it may have been worthwhile.

Alas the the four lanes that constitute the bypass will be reduced to two (one in each direction) for eight weeks as the bridge repairs commence proper this weekend. I for one will be very happy if an enforced speed limit is retained after the repairs are completed - for my journey going 'slower' in one section is certainly faster overall.

Once all new cars are fitted with variable speed limiters, the judicious use of limiting at certain sections at peak times times may well be the (faster) way forward.

 

Us southerners have known this for a while now with the variable speed limits on the M25.

By reducing the rates of acceleration and deceleration, flow is improved considerably.

 

I was just about to post about the M25

It's had the opposite effect on the Southend end of the A127 though

 

I'd be completely happy for roadside transponders linked to the car's ECU to do the 'thinking' for me in such congested sections of the road network. No worry of speeding fines for marginal transgressions of the limit and it would allow a much greater degree of concentration on the road conditions.

Combine that with smart cruise controls that maintain set distances between cars and it would be commuting heaven.

 

 

Sounds great, but would this not be the thin edge of the wedge to you never having any positive control over your car at all ?

 

Mark, there will be two lanes northbound and one lane southbound during the day (all on the northbound carriage way, southbound will be closed for the duration).

Clicky

Chris.

 

Interesting... it might not be so grim as I'm anticipating.!

 

Is it not because the schools are on holiday now Mark? My journey was much quicker this morning.

And those avrerage cameras are a joke. We never get up to 40mph along there with 3 lanes open, what's the chances with 1

 

I hate covert speed traps
But I actually like the flow control/averaging systems purely because they do improve traffic flow.
I still have a when some muppet goes steaming up to the camera then slows down for it.