http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/scotland-s-weather-motorists-urged-to-avoid-a9-1-3627688
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Is dualling the A9 really that bad?
(597 posts)-
Posted 9 years ago #
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Seems Inverness is virtually cut off as volume of snow and stopped vehicles have forced closure. Also been accidents of course.
Of course when the weather is bad you could always take the train...
However ScotRail have cancelled all (or most as tricky to find out truth) trains on the Highland Line due to the snow and ice. Radio Scotland suggsted that people should use the East Coast service today. That's one train btw - and would be amazed if it had run. Maybe went round by Aberdeen.ScotRail do hope to get buses onto the A9 later. This of course is another reason why the A9 should be improved in the eyes of many. Is this rail route really just a 'heritage line'?
LATEST:
ScotRail @ScotRail · 38m 38 minutes ago
UPDATE: 5-6"s of snow in between #Perth & #Inverness. Falling quicker than ploughs can clear tracks. Line closed until further notice. ^G
0 replies 15 retweets 5 favorites
Reply Retweet15 Favorite5Posted 9 years ago # -
Steam Trains are the answer for snow!! ;o)
Posted 9 years ago # -
BBC was a bit confused and in one article claimed the "Highland Mainline" was closed as the snowplow train was stuck at Rannoch station, which of course is on the West Highland Line and has nothing to do with the former.
Steam Trains are the answer for snow!! ;o)
The snowplows for the Highland and West Highland lines are propelled by 50+ year-old trains from the end of the steam era (although they are diesels)
Posted 9 years ago # -
ScotRail retweeted
Network Rail Scot @NetworkRailSCOT · 38m 38 minutes ago
#HML We are awaiting confirmation of line proving prior to reopening Highland Main Line from #Perth to #Inverness for @ScotRail servicesSo services should be restored. Twitter feed does show how deep snow has been north of Perth.
Posted 9 years ago # -
"
The Scottish Government’s Transport Scotland agency has said that since camera installation started in April, “excessive speeding” had been cut in the sections they cover from around one in ten drivers to less than one in 700."
http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/more-drivers-speeding-on-dual-carriageways-of-a9-1-3670358
Posted 9 years ago # -
"A9 average speed cameras 'have reduced speeding'"
Journey times have increased by only 14 mins. Of course if the road is blocked by an accident then a journey can be delayed by hours.
From a rail point of view 14 mins is quite a normal delay.....http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-30972743
Posted 9 years ago # -
Reporting Scotland on the average speed cameras now. Figures released saying less speeding, and fewer accidents. But they're going to interview people who still 'remain to be convinced'.
Posted 9 years ago # -
My god. Neil Greig of the IAM just spoke sense!
Posted 9 years ago # -
WC: you beat me to it!
He acknowledged that reduced speeds have made the road safer. Perhaps he could transfer that thought over to city streets?
Posted 9 years ago # -
I'm a bit surprised at how much 'journey times have increased' - just shows how much speeding there was.
Raising HGV limit to 50 seems to be popular with hauliers and not increased crashes.
Posted 9 years ago # -
More detailed data from A9road.info.
The journey time comparison "do not take cognisance of traffic volume levels or road works on the route". Weather and light conditions in December might lead to longer journey times than the baseline in June 2013.
The journey times were based on bluetooth signals, which might not be representative of all drivers?Posted 9 years ago # -
"conditions in December might lead to longer journey times than the baseline in June 2013."
Indeed!!
Posted 9 years ago # -
Mike Burns, spokesman for A9 Average Speed Cameras Are Not the Answer, said his group had looked at details of more than 100,000 accidents on the road since 2004.
Seriously 10,000 accidents a year on one road?Posted 9 years ago # -
Approx thirty a day? More than one an hour?
Posted 9 years ago # -
I guess that "the road" in "100,000 accidents on the road" means roads in general (there were 115742 reported road injury accidents from 2004 to 2013 in Scotland) and the campaigner (or the reporter) got that confused. He is also quoted as saying "The cameras were meant to be the be all and end all of all accidents ..." which doesn't do much for his/their credibility.
Posted 9 years ago # -
"overall speeding was down from about one in three drivers to one in 20....excessive speeding - where drivers were traced travelling at more than 10mph above the speed limit - had fallen by 97%."
I know that when I drove at 60mph on the A9 before, I would soon develop a tail of traffic behind me, as all the people who were going faster than the speed limit caught me up.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Yes - I often think that those who keep to the limit (or indeed a sensible speed for the conditions) are the hidden (if minor) victims of speeding. Speeding often results in tailgating, aggressiveness, and even the inability to overtake slower vehicles e.g. on dual carriageway because of the stream of traffic travelling nose to tail at 80mph.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Agreed. I have to admit that on busy dual carriageways/motorways I try to drive at over 70 if I'm overtaking (especially if I'm in the third lane). Given that most people out there will be doing at least 80, if I start doing 65 it might be legal but it feels less dangreous than doing 75, if you see what I mean?
The other bad thing is that if I'm nervous I tend to slow down, so someone tailgating me tends to slow me down, which I'm sure doesn't help their temper... this can happen on the bike too. Just let me do my manouver and I'll be out of your way. So&sos.
Posted 9 years ago # -
The easy way to deal with tailgaters is just to slow down gently (foot off throttle) until they overtake you or realise what the problem is. They soon get the message.
Posted 9 years ago # -
From Neil Greig's BS piece:
If the wider use of average speed cameras was linked to a clear promise to upgrade each road it was used on, then it would be welcomed by all drivers as a clear commitment to engineer out problems rather than “control” them
Let's translate that into a cycling context:
If the wider use of chicanes was linked to a clear promise to upgrade each cycle path they were used on, then it would be welcomed by all cyclists as a clear commitment to engineer out problems rather than “control” them
Or:
If the wider use of bus lanes by motor vehicles was linked to a clear promise to upgrade each arterial 'bus lane' route with segregated cycle lanes, then it would be welcomed by all cyclists as a clear commitment to engineer out problems rather than “control” them
Posted 9 years ago # -
Neil Greig is an insult to the concept of being "Advanced". He should form his own Institute of Regressive Speeding Apologists.
Posted 9 years ago # -
What I find hard to understand is why the IAM let him run off the leash so much. I'd never join the IAM because I couldn't stand to have someone like that claiming to represent me.
Rah rah rah, speed cameras cause crashes, blah blah blah... whatever dude.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Some knee-jerk reactions here I think.
He says: ‘Big Brother is a price worth paying for fewer fatalities and injuries on Scotland’s roads’
There is no doubt the early fears among A9 users have been ameliorated and most drivers now find driving along the route less stressful.
If this could be repeated around Scotland, then it would be good news for road safety and driver happiness.
I take it you didn't really bother to read what he wrote?
Posted 9 years ago # -
from Neil Greig: "There are many routes in Scotland that might benefit from average speed cameras ..." (sounds good) "... but it must be done on a case-by-case basis on routes with speed-related problem." (the devil could be in the detail - bureaucratic obstacles may be put in the way).
"This would discount many twisty, limited-visibility road sections where it is virtually impossible to do 60mph safely ..." Is this saying limits shouldn't be enforced where dangerous drivers break them?!
from Derek Mackay: "Average speed cameras, if deployed in the right places, can help assist road safety". The right places, according to suppliers of approved equipment, could include sections as short as 75m, 20mph limits, and with multiple entry/exit points.Posted 9 years ago # -
"This would discount many twisty, limited-visibility road sections where it is virtually impossible to do 60mph safely ..." Is this saying limits shouldn't be enforced where dangerous drivers break them?!
I would like to think that it's more a question of there being little no point paying for cameras to enforce speed limits when even the dangerous drivers can't break them.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Posted 9 years ago #
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I've not read this article in the Scotsman, but from the headline it seems that they are going to be using the A9 near Dalwhinnie to allow gentlemen to settle their differences in an old-fashioned way...
Posted 9 years ago # -
I saw something on one of those dot matrix signs about HGV speed limits changing in England & Wales.
It turns out that from tomorrow HGV speed limits on Dual Carriageways will increase from 50mph to 60mph and single carriageways from 40mph to 50mph.
https://movingon.blog.gov.uk/reminder-hgv-speed-limit-changes-in-england-and-wales/
Not sure we'll notice much difference up here - I don't expect to see the M6 aglow with brake lights as you approach Gretna...
Posted 9 years ago #
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