Not sure I like the flat increase in England - the A9 Perth to Inverness stands quite apart from most A-roads in that it has a very high design standard. Most single A-roads in spite of their classification are far narrower and twistier.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Is dualling the A9 really that bad?
(597 posts)-
Posted 9 years ago #
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It's alright, these guys are professionals. :-o
From HankChief's link:
The speed limit for HGVs over 7.5 tonnes, travelling on dual carriageways will increase from 50mph to 60mph.
...
European speed limiter requirements also remain unchanged and must be set at 56mph or lower.So, the limit is 60mph, but the vehicles can't physically go faster than 56mph? Presumably it's too confusing to set a speed limit that doesn't end in "0"?
Posted 9 years ago # -
Ah, but the speed limiter limit does end in a zero: if it's expressed in km/h: 90, to be exact.
If only we could abandon Imperial measures like we abandoned the Empire and switch to Republican French metric units... However many people would NOT be happy, and Americans would be even more confused when visiting.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I like those stickers that say "this vehicle is limited to 70mph".
All new cars should have those, like all new bikes need a bell, novelty reflectors, a load of warning stickers and a helmet salesman to scare you off riding them.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I laugh to see £1000+ track bikes in shop windows without pedals but still with front and rear reflectors. No brakes and no means of making it go - but it's still gotta have those shiny bits of plastic!
Posted 9 years ago # -
Must track bikes be sold with a bell ? :-)
Posted 9 years ago # -
Signed it
Posted 9 years ago # -
@snowy
Yes, this one.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I must admit, I'm baffled by the desire to be near the A9 at all, let alone parallel. Yes a NMU path between the two places but surely there is a better route, that takes in more places etc.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I can see both sides. Not all of us cyclists like cycling up hills and the road alignment will generally be flatter through valleys.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Got to be said, if you don't like hills your in the wrong part of the world...
Posted 9 years ago # -
A continuous NMU would be useful for many journeys, perhaps just using a short section of the A9 corridor.
Building one at the time of carriageway dualling would seem like the sensible time to do it.
I can't see it happening though.
It's a shame that the petition isn't very well written. E.g. the following paragraph.
"
We would also like to see when the A9 is dualled as many crossing points maintained as possible by either underpasses or bridges. These are detailed in many audits done my various NUM user groups and the well known British Horse Society Audit with up to 69 to 72 crossing points kis one example of this. Proper parking places or lay byes with islands separating them from the carriageway for safety that will allow overnight parking of HGV's etc - Enhanced parking places at strategic viewpoints and some sort of roadside toilet provision at places like the Slochd and Drummochter Summits. Lay-byes strategically located to suit acces to the hills and walks etc alongside the length of the A9 in preference to just siting them every 2.5 kms.
"Posted 9 years ago # -
How much would it cost to build this cycle lane? Given that the A9 dualling is due to cost £3bn, it doesn't seem unreasonable to assume it would be upwards of £100m (widening viaducts, cuttings etc. doesn't come cheap). I don't think this would be a particularly good use of scarce cycling cash. You can be sure the funds would come out of the cycling budget as it hasn't been planned for in the trunk road budget.
I can't really see it benefiting more than a few unusually impatient cycle tourists or very hardy cycle commuters.
Posted 9 years ago # -
LEJoG/JoGLEers?
They basically have two choices - the A9 or the Glen Coe road. Neither is particularly inviting. How many people do it, anyone know?Posted 9 years ago # -
Cycle path across Rannoch Moor by the railway. Now *that* would be worth investing in!
Posted 9 years ago # -
..and would be an excellent facility for all the Corrour-based commuters who are currently neglected.
Posted 9 years ago # -
We have just been driving on the A9 a bit in the last week, only as far as Pitlochry but the difference in driving is amazing. Only one incidence of aggressive tailgating and no homicidal overtakes at all. Hard to say whether that is due to the speed cameras on the lorry speed increase. Probably both but either way the improvement is very noticeable.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@Min I agree - I find the A9 a much more pleasant road to ride on these days. It's really quite nice. Also I've found that ytou end up driving on your own quite a bit even when it's "busy" I think that the apparent busyness of yesteryear was more due to speeding a bunching than actually the volume of traffic.
Posted 9 years ago # -
From 2nd link
"
He said: “Anecdotally, we’re aware of people who are less willing to come to Inverness and the Highlands because it’s so much further and harder to get to because of the cameras."
So
“Anecdotally" people will only go to Inverness if they can break the law!(?)
Posted 9 years ago # -
I never actually read the 2nd link as apparently I have exceeded my five-free-P&J-article limit, but did he really say "it’s so much further"?
Posted 9 years ago # -
I imagine he's using this data: http://a9road.info/uploads/publications/A9_Data_Monitoring_Report.pdf
Which doesn't have 2014 data. I can't find KSI data for 2014 actually althouogh I've not dug deep.
One thing that's interesting is that Seriously injured has reduced by 50% which is very positive. Also the total number of incidents and delays is much better which they seem to be ignoring as well.
Posted 9 years ago # -
did he really say "it’s so much further"?
Yes he did. He is apparently the chief executive of the Inverness Chamber of Commerce.
I venture to suggest there may be a more realistic reason for people being reluctant to do business in Inverness..
Posted 9 years ago # -
Is it co-incidence that most of the fatal crashes on the section covered by cameras, since the cameras started operating, involved hgvs which had their speed limit increased?
Posted 9 years ago # -
"Is it co-incidence"
Seems unlikely, but is there enough 'data' (bad crashes) to conclude/convince?
Posted 9 years ago # -
Definitely not enough data to draw fair conclusions.
Posted 9 years ago # -
The Chamber of Commerce quotes are really weird. The HGV journey time from Inverness to Perth has been slashed by over half an hour under this scheme which is going to make an appreciable difference to the cost of moving goods.
As for private cars, I drove up and down the A9 at the weekend for the National 400. It was noticeably MUCH nicer and easier to make progress (although admittedly I found it a bit tricky to ensure I was under the average limit when you throw in the odd sections of dual carriageway. I suppose I'll find out in a couple of weeks how successful I was).
Posted 9 years ago #
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