The report below was done when Londons MAD HATTER AKA Khan’s City of London Corporation is looking at implementing a 15-20mph speed limit in the capital’s Square Mile to help with road safety and reduce pollution. Yet experts around the country say that if anything, it will increase pollution levels due to the stop & start nature of the traffic.
Pollution study
A study by the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI) in 2013 found similar results; the nature of stop/start traffic at low speeds means that there is an increase in acceleration and braking, coupled with the fact that at such low speed, any motorist would likely to be in a low gear, which would further exacerbate the problem. The optimum speed for minimising vehicle pollution and emissions is actually around 40mph.
However, that’s simplifying it too much, there are further points to be aware of.
If the traffic flow is smooth, then lower speed limits will help with reducing pollution, it’s only when you introduce the stop & start of city driving that it will negate the effect of lower limits. Due to further legislation surrounding emissions, car manufacturers comply with much stricter emissions regulations, and therefore, their products are tuned to give optimum returns under the majority of use – around 45 – 50mph in top gear.
Using traffic-calming measures can work under certain circumstances, but it gets back to keeping the traffic flowing smoothly – not accelerating away from speed humps or traffic lights for example.
Generation
While it’s undoubtedly commendable to try and reduce the number of injuries in a locale, there needs to be serious thought given as to how practical this can be, or whether it’s just another publicity/money generating scheme for the local authority.
Evidence and experts say that a 15 to 20mph speed limit won’t really affect either positively – it won’t reduce accidents, nor will it help with pollution, so just what is the purpose of lowering the limit? We know the cynical answer, but surely, it can’t be that blatant?
It seems if we have one woke or barmy person in a government or council, it has influence on the whole department and internal evidence is tailored to fit their agenda’s!
The City of Londond’s mad hatter is clear evidence of this with his hated ULEZ and expansion of. Kahns idealogy backed up by the city of London is evidence of this, when they said it will extend lives. Yet studies by experts far and wide said it would only extend lives for 13 minutes. Similarly his barmy idea of reducing speed limits were equally proved wrong! Now it seems we have a Khan in the Welsh government, probably someone who can’t drive and has a vendeta against motorists!
An idealogy costing £33 billion that will achieve nothing in relity other than anger motorists. A scheme that is surely a home goal for Labour at the next election. Would the money not have been better spent reducing NHS waiting timing building new hospitals or school or even improving our pot holed roads or am I being to sensible?