Speed limit drop to protect drivers
11:58am Friday 18th July 2008
Comments (14)A NEW temporary 40mph speed limit has been introduced on the Weymouth-Bridport coast road to keep motorists safe because its surface is deteriorating.
The limit was brought in by Dorset County Council because the authority said it wanted to protect motorists while a new safety project scheduled for 2009-2010 is being looked at for the road.
County management engineer Andrew Berry said: "Designs are currently being drawn up for the B3157 coast road safety project between Chickerell and Bridport which will take place between 2009-10.
"These will consider what materials will be used, particularly for the road surface, based on a detailed accident analysis.
"Currently, some sections of the road surface are deteriorating, particularly in hot weather.
"As the designs for the route are still being finalised, temporary speed limits have been introduced to keep speeds down and motorists safe during the summer. We hope the new surfacing will be installed later this year."
Weymouth and Portland mayor and community health and safety spokesman Councillor Tim Munro said: "I think it is prudent to have this limit for people's safety, but it is unfortunate that the condition of the road has deteriorated so much that this limit has had to be introduced.
"I hope the surface is dealt with as quickly as possible because a lot of people from Weymouth and Portland use that road on a regular basis."
Inspector Peter Meteau of Weymouth Police welcomed the 40mph limit and said: "It is a priority for Dorset Police to reduce the number of road deaths on county roads.
"People coming to our area during the summer may not be familiar with this road and if the surface is poor then it is an additional factor which might cause an accident."
Bridport Town Council has also been made aware of the safety project plans.
Town clerk Bob Gillis said: "The town council is aware that road improvements are planned for the B3157 coast road and it hopes to be fully involved and consulted."
Your Say YourDorset Echo
Ask Archie, Weymouth says...
12:16pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Albo wrote:Unfortunatly I have a feeling you are not being cynical,just honest.
Inspector Peter Meteau of Weymouth Police welcomed the 40mph limit and said: "We'll be right down there with our speed cameras money money money money" Cynical? Moi?
derek, dorset says...
12:28pm Fri 18 Jul 08
The roads in Dorset are well past the sell by date make do and mend is no longer a option
derek, dorset says...
12:30pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Dorset Boy, Wilds of Dorset says...
12:39pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Why is there still serious signs of deterioration from a lorry fire a 12month ago on a section of road between Abbotsbury and Portesham. If this is the standard of DCC road safety inspections then I do not hold much hope of anything being down in the future.
Atalanta, Weymouth says...
12:40pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Albo wrote:Sounds about right and looking at their list of camera locations for 15th-28th July there are two of note:
Inspector Peter Meteau of Weymouth Police welcomed the 40mph limit and said: "We'll be right down there with our speed cameras money money money money"
Cynical? Moi?
C901 Chickrell Road (West), Weymouth where is that?)
School Hill, Chickerell, Weymouth
and as they say on their site: "The Dorset Safety Camera Partnership reserves the right to amend operational locations of mobile cameras without prior notice."
You can bet those two will be moved to the B3157 pretty swiftly and without prior notice.
Dorsetdumpling, Weymouth says...
1:50pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Forgive me, but as a card carrying cynic, I think the state of the road is being used as an excuse to further limit the speed on this perfectly good road.
Yes there are stupid, selfish people who treat it as a race track, but here we have yet another example of the vast majority of law abiding, safe drivers being penalised for the actions of the idiotic minority, and why? - because it is easier for the car hating authorities to restrict the road for all rather than catch and prosecute the idiots.
Given the attitude of the council, the road safety partnership, and the sycophantic Echo editor who can't see why this limit shouldn't be made permanent ("once we get used to it")why not just close the road completely and plant daisies on it (having first carried out a comprehensive risk assessment on the effect of pollen on hay fever sufferers of course)
terra firma, Dorset says...
3:31pm Fri 18 Jul 08
genghis, portland says...
4:23pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Dorsetdumpling wrote:But what can they do to catch the idiots? Perhaps put up some speed cameras? No that wouldn't be effective as they only tend to catch the vast majority of law abiding, safe drivers who weren't really driving above the speed limit. Honest guv.
So, due to years of neglect on the part of the Council, all motorists who use this road are faced with a "temporary" speed limit which seems set to be in place for at least two years, eh?. Forgive me, but as a card carrying cynic, I think the state of the road is being used as an excuse to further limit the speed on this perfectly good road. Yes there are stupid, selfish people who treat it as a race track, but here we have yet another example of the vast majority of law abiding, safe drivers being penalised for the actions of the idiotic minority, and why? - because it is easier for the car hating authorities to restrict the road for all rather than catch and prosecute the idiots. Given the attitude of the council, the road safety partnership, and the sycophantic Echo editor who can't see why this limit shouldn't be made permanent ("once we get used to it")why not just close the road completely and plant daisies on it (having first carried out a comprehensive risk assessment on the effect of pollen on hay fever sufferers of course)
andena, PORTLAND says...
6:30pm Fri 18 Jul 08
DingDonG, Wilds of Wiltshire says...
7:20pm Fri 18 Jul 08
a lot of people from Weymouth and Portland use that road on a regular basis."However, as we well know, people from Bridport are not allowed out of the parish, let alone in one of those motor car contraptions!
mike edwards, weymouth says...
8:24pm Fri 18 Jul 08
DingDonG wrote:They are allowed out but have the good sense not to travel to Weymouth and Portland.I used to travel this road every day to work until a year ago,thankfully I don`t now.I thought the 50 limit was to low first thing in the morning never mind 40.Coming back in the evening 40 was maximum anyway because of amount of traffic.
a lot of people from Weymouth and Portland use that road on a regular basis."However, as we well know, people from Bridport are not allowed out of the parish, let alone in one of those motor car contraptions!
Dorset Guy, Bridport says...
11:51am Sat 19 Jul 08
Atalanta, says...
7:21pm Sat 19 Jul 08
So now we have two roads in and out of Weymouth that are deteriorating but lo and behold they've only just been noticed by DCC, despite them both having been resurfaced in recent years.
Methinks Trading Standards should be called in to investigate the competence of DCC and the value for money they give as they seem to be rip-off merchants.
THAT'S THE LIMIT: The new 40mph speed limit on the B3157 coast road between Chickerell and Portesham HG3756
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Albo, Wyke Regis says...
12:11pm Fri 18 Jul 08
Cynical? Moi?