M4 New permanent 50mph form 15th (Be Careful Out There )

Changes to the speed limit on the M4

The permanent 50mph limit with average speed enforcement between junctions 24 and 28 on the M4 will be live by Monday, March 15th.

The measure forms part of the Welsh Government’s approach to tackling congestion in the area as recommended by Lord Burns’ report published following the work carried out by the South East Wales Traffic Commission.

Over the next couple of weeks work will be undertaken to finalise the installation of the cameras and road signs. .

There will be night-time full closures of the east bound carriageway week commencing March 1st, followed by west bound full closures week commencing March 8th, from 20:00 – 06:00. Additional information about diversion routes and any disruption to the travelling public can be found on the Traffic Wales website and twitter.

The cameras will be operational and the mandatory 50mph speed limit will be monitored closely by Go Safe during the bedding-in period. It will allow for full systems and enforcement checks to take place and give motorists time to get used to the new speed limit. Notices of prosecution will then begin to be issued in the Summer.

thanks for heads up LOM

when you say night time full closures on the eastbound side where does that start and finish in terms of location ?
I usually pick up the M4 at tredegar park before 6 am

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Originally Posted by MOZZER2

thanks for heads up LOM

when you say night time full closures on the eastbound side where does that start and finish in terms of location ?
I usually pick up the M4 at tredegar park before 6 am

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All details in this link https://gosafe.org/blog-news/2021/march-1st-2021/

cheers the excuse of combating congestion seems a bit odd when you consider we are in lock down . I travel on the M4 every monday and Friday and the traffic is sparse compared to pre covid

Think they should have delayed this until we come out of lock down

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Originally Posted by MOZZER2

cheers the excuse of combating congestion seems a bit odd when you consider we are in lock down . I travel on the M4 every monday and Friday and the traffic is sparse compared to pre covid

Think they should have delayed this until we come out of lock down

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But they couldn't possibly postpone it. They need to persecute the poor old motorist as much as possible, to raise the funds they need to pay for services. Nothing to do with easing congestion in the first place. Its just a Welsh Government tax raising exercise.

Driving at 70mph for 20 minutes or 50mph for 30 minutes - how does the 'science' make that more environmentally friendly ?

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Originally Posted by A Quiet Monkfish

Driving at 70mph for 20 minutes or 50mph for 30 minutes - how does the 'science' make that more environmentally friendly ?

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I think you need to go and check your workings there

The money being generated from the Cardiff bus lanes is eye watering,
The three bus lanes in Cardiff where drivers have been fined for travelling through the most have been revealed.

The data has been obtained by Confused.com after they issued a freedom of information (FOI) request for data into bus lane fines across the UK.

The locations of the top three bus lanes which issued the most bus lane Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) in the city in 2019 were Kingsway outside the Hilton hotel which generated £383,616.40, followed by North Road City Centre with £344,367.41 then Custom House Street (Eastbound) with £324,733.

The insurance firm state that Cardiff has 20 "always on" bus lane cameras which dished out 88,598 PCNs in 2018 and 75,927 in 2019.

However, the council faced a whopping 11,865 appeals in 2018 and 11,399 appeals in 2019.One of which was mine a successful appeal at the Hilton hotel bus lane.My argument was poor signage[thanks to advice of the forum] and the fact I realised I was entering a bus lane and there was no escape as there was a taxi and bus behind

COVID has saved Drakeford’s arse on the M4 relief road subject. It’s brought forward working from home by at least 10-15 years

Thanks for posting LOM :thumbup:

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Originally Posted by MOZZER2

cheers the excuse of combating congestion seems a bit odd when you consider we are in lock down . I travel on the M4 every monday and Friday and the traffic is sparse compared to pre covid

Think they should have delayed this until we come out of lock down

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The closures are normally from J28 to J24 or reverse depending on the works so Tredegar Park is OK But the timing is 20.00 - 06.00 so you should be sound anyway.
Notice I said Normally, because this stretch of motorway is always closed for "Essential maintenance. since I returned to Cardiff in mid 2017 is has been closed more times than you would believe. I think it is the most closed stretch of road in the country.

I’m amazed they don’t have average speed cameras on every bridge.

Personally I think it’s all about keeping the flow of traffic moving . Much easier to drive and less bobbing and weaving etc when it’s 50mph. Put the adaptive cruise control on and relax. It’s the future.

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Originally Posted by xsnaggle

The closures are normally from J28 to J24 or reverse depending on the works so Tredegar Park is OK But the timing is 20.00 - 06.00 so you should be sound anyway.
Notice I said Normally, because this stretch of motorway is always closed for "Essential maintenance. since I returned to Cardiff in mid 2017 is has been closed more times than you would believe. I think it is the most closed stretch of road in the country.

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I think its purposely, forcing one to absorb the beauty of Newport for a longer period of travel , if you travel faster you miss its grace.

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Originally Posted by A Quiet Monkfish

Driving at 70mph for 20 minutes or 50mph for 30 minutes - how does the 'science' make that more environmentally friendly ?

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You'll have covered 1 2/3rds of a mile more doing 50mph in half an hour.

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Originally Posted by A Quiet Monkfish

Driving at 70mph for 20 minutes or 50mph for 30 minutes - how does the 'science' make that more environmentally friendly ?

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Fuel consumption.

Your car is 30-40% more fuel efficient at 50 than it is at 70

As much as I’m anti this concept it’s worked really well on the section on the M42 passed Birmingham airport, the permanent jams of old have gone & traffic flows freely.

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Originally Posted by Des Parrot

As much as I’m anti this concept it’s worked really well on the section on the M42 passed Birmingham airport, the permanent jams of old have gone & traffic flows freely.

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I would question that des the northbound section on the M42 by the airport was a nightmare pre covid and that was with the 50mph restrictions . Used to take me ages to take the A45 down to coventry even worse trying to come off the M6 way. Haven't had a problem post covid mind . lets see what happens if we come out of lock down in the summer

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Originally Posted by Fine Lines

I’m amazed they don’t have average speed cameras on every bridge.

Personally I think it’s all about keeping the flow of traffic moving . Much easier to drive and less bobbing and weaving etc when it’s 50mph. Put the adaptive cruise control on and relax. It’s the future.

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Have you ever tried using cruise control in a steady three lanes of traffic doing 50mph ? Impossible and very dangerous. The flow of traffic is fine until you meet the 50mph restrictions and then everything concertinas and comes to a grinding halt. There is more lane jumping, pollution and traffic jams on this section of motorway now than there was before they had the restrictions in place. Its just a money raising exercise.

The yellow masts and cameras are being added so guessed it wouldn't be long before it got enforced including the section after tunnels going east where cars normally accelerate after passing the last speed camera on the gantry by junction 25 Caerleon.

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Originally Posted by A Quiet Monkfish

Driving at 70mph for 20 minutes or 50mph for 30 minutes - how does the 'science' make that more environmentally friendly ?

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28 minutes ??

Still , wouldn't mind someone explaining to me how this helps the environment.

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Originally Posted by WJ99mobile

Fuel consumption.

Your car is 30-40% more fuel efficient at 50 than it is at 70

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Originally Posted by A Quiet Monkfish

28 minutes ??

Still , wouldn't mind someone explaining to me how this helps the environment.

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not rocket science really is it

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Originally Posted by dml1954

Have you ever tried using cruise control in a steady three lanes of traffic doing 50mph ? Impossible and very dangerous. The flow of traffic is fine until you meet the 50mph restrictions and then everything concertinas and comes to a grinding halt. There is more lane jumping, pollution and traffic jams on this section of motorway now than there was before they had the restrictions in place. Its just a money raising exercise.

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Adaptive cruise control. Maintains the distance to the car in front. I honestly believe If they enforce a 50 mph limit on the motorways, allow undertaking , the flow of traffic will be much improved. Less accidents.

I’ve driven in America a lot , and it’s so much easier there. If your getting off at the next junction, move to the right hand lane , if not stay in the outer lanes. Simple.

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Originally Posted by dml1954

Have you ever tried using cruise control in a steady three lanes of traffic doing 50mph ? Impossible and very dangerous. The flow of traffic is fine until you meet the 50mph restrictions and then everything concertinas and comes to a grinding halt. There is more lane jumping, pollution and traffic jams on this section of motorway now than there was before they had the restrictions in place. Its just a money raising exercise.

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Driving at 70 means you arrive at the congestion sooner spurting out your pollution for longer in stationary traffic. Youre also using more fuel at 70. Driving at 50 keeps you moving for a longer time creating less pollution and uses less fuel.

I think that what they are doing on that stretch of motorway tells the lie about doing it to reduce congestion at the tunnels.
On the J27 off ramp going east they have a camera. That is clearly not to alleviate congestion on the tunnels. Nor is it the last check of a time and distance set up as it is the first camera in the section.

The speed camera zone stretches from J24 to J28 going west and J27 to J24 going east. If the intent in to ease flow through the tunnel there should be no need for cameras or a lesser limit between the tunnel and Junction 28 going west or the tunnel and J24 going east as the tunnels are behind the motorist. Their only purpose must be to milk more money from the motorist and is another example of the Welsh Government's anti-vehicle bias.

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Originally Posted by The Bloop

Driving at 70 means you arrive at the congestion sooner spurting out your pollution for longer in stationary traffic. Youre also using more fuel at 70. Driving at 50 keeps you moving for a longer time creating less pollution and uses less fuel.

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It doesn't though. Traffic approaching the 50mph zone at 70mph has to slowdown quickly, thereby causing more congestion behind. The congestion isn't there until the 50mph zone starts. Within the congestion, traffic is driving at between 5-20mph, thereby causing more pollution. Apart from the 50mph zones, the main other reason there is congestion on the M4 in both directions is the existence of the tunnels at Brynglas which causes queues in both directions for miles at peak times. The is more congestion on the M4 now than before 50mph zones were introduced.

For the last 4 days all the traffic restriction lights on this stretch of the M4 have been turned off, reverting to the normal 70MPH limit. The traffic has been flowing perfectly normally and traffic has been slowing to a reasonable speed in places where it is obviously safer to do so without the need for being told to do so, but just using common sense and teh drivers own observations of the traffic.
But I seriously doubt anyone in authority will acknowledge the fact.

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Originally Posted by xsnaggle

I think that what they are doing on that stretch of motorway tells the lie about doing it to reduce congestion at the tunnels.
On the J27 off ramp going east they have a camera. That is clearly not to alleviate congestion on the tunnels. Nor is it the last check of a time and distance set up as it is the first camera in the section.

The speed camera zone stretches from J24 to J28 going west and J27 to J24 going east. If the intent in to ease flow through the tunnel there should be no need for cameras or a lesser limit between the tunnel and Junction 28 going west or the tunnel and J24 going east as the tunnels are behind the motorist. Their only purpose must be to milk more money from the motorist and is another example of the Welsh Government's anti-vehicle bias.

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If they have a bias, I hope they shift one the metro pretty quick. All good conurbations have them in the uk. We are so behind on investment here. I don’t blame WG for that.

The ones on North rd and Kingsway, what a great welcome to Cardiff they are