Post by Administrator on Dec 28, 2014 21:15:34 GMT

Here are the rules for Traffic regulation order's (TRO's)
DOWNLOAD LINK> www.bentcop.biz/TRO.jpg
According to this document there purpose it NOT for modification of inherent speed limits.
The stated uses for a TRO are
(3) What TRO's can be used for
3.1 Banning lorries from residential areas
3.2 Parking restrictions
3.3 Temporary closures for parades and associated charges
Yet at some point around 1984 they started to be used for changing speed limits. The earliest I have found co-incides around the same time that "mobile" vehicle mounted speed radar equipment was introduced into service.
And in 1984 on the A682/A56/M66 interchange a 50mph dual carriageway appears that stems from the M66/A56 motorway/Dual carriageway and leads into this 50mph section. Here is placed on the A56 three or four very crude "police observation platforms. the very same style as seen on the Osset bypass in west Yorkshire and we must remember that these are "no stopping regulation" roads where you are not permitted to cross over the white edge line or park on the verge. These platforms do not conform to official design motorway police observation platforms.
The whole set up appears to be designed so that police await parked in these side spaces and await for a fast moving car to come by. Then the police take pursuit and follow the car "into" the 50mph area thus prosecuting for a much higher speed offence than in the National speed limit area.
Here is a diagram

This really should be in the section about the M66/A56 but it is important to show the origins of TRO's being used in this way.
There is an excuse for the speed limit of 50mph being that there is a pedestrian crossing on the road but that is a unique story that i want to add to the M66/A56 topic and besides there are other crossings on the same road where it is still National speed limit and even no "national speed limit repeater signs" for over a mile, which are required by law.
Also the A628 is still technically the old A56, and the TRO claimed to be made out for the new sections of the A56 is sited upon very questionable road plans and orders which were supposed to be the M66 before the plans were scrapped.
One thing is certain and that is that after this time we see a gradual appearance of more TRO's used incorrectly. The introduction of fixed speed camera sites and mobile camera units do seem to be related to this increase.
Some of these sites do have incorrect size or non present road signs that are required by law, and some have the correct signage but the roads are identical to any other National speed limit road or dual carriageway so drivers would assume they have that speed limit.
I have only listed roads in the north of England so you may know more of them especially to the south of the country.
The dates of placement help illustrate the unfolding picture....
1971 (first hand held radar guns introduced)
1977 A56 diversion Lancashire (road modification) note the road is only created as far as the fork in the carriageway.TRO#247
1982 (first mobile car mounted radar unit)
1984 A682 Lancashire 50mph starting only after the right hand fork to Rawtenstall. TRO#20816 (inconsultation with chief police officer)
1985 A56 detrunking (the road is given possesion to the local council who currently argued it is a trunk road still)
(1986 first episode of top gear broadcast)
1992 (Twickenham bridge, London first fixed speed camera)
1997 (New Labour government take the baton from the conservatives)
1999 M606 Motorway Bradford 50mph speed limit (fixed camera fitted) TRO No. 1187
2000 M621 Motorway 50mph TRO#1811
2000 A638 Ossett bypass 50mph (inconsultation with chief police officer Sir Norman Bettison) TRO#30446
2003 A66 Middlesborough/Stockton 50mph (by A19) #3196 (statutory instruments) (not far from Sedgefield Blairs constituency)
2007 M621 ammendments to previous order 50mph section #349
2008 M62/A1 junction 50mph #2262
2009 A1 Newcastle Upon Tyne 50mph (one initial temporary TRO then none)
2009 A1 Worksop 50mph (no TRO)
2009 A1 Bedfordshire 60mph and 50mph (cycled temporary TRO's for riddicolus number of other reasons(decoys)
2009 The A63 Liverpool/Hull road is detrunked (clive sullivan way 50 & 40 mph sections) #283 tro 50 - Foreign HGV trickery
2009 The Government vehicle scrappage scheme is introduced.
2010 M66/A56/A682 (Bent gate!) the 50mph limit is expanded to the A56 "diversion" and brought back before the junction fork (which is not sited by previous diversion document) #1650
2010 A580 Liverpool/Lancashire/Manchester 40mph #1562 (the entire dual carriageway also has a 60mph limit applied around this time)
DOWNLOAD THE TRO's (COMPRESSED FOLDER) www.bentcop.biz/download.rar
There must be far more examples of similar changes with the introduction of fixed & mobile speed camera units so it would be fantastic if you could find them all. I possibly may open up a section of the forum for people to make posts and list information when I have finished putting all the info up. But this is so you know what you are looking for.
Also look for Missing terminal signs on rounabouts entering enforced road sections and incorrect size signs (300mm 50mph and National speed limit signs) and misleading signs or symbols that look similar to signs on side roads. Missing repeater signs and incorrect distances signs also to watch out for. These signs remind people to check their speedometers and the side signs subconsciously prime you with a different speed limit to what they are enforcing.
Compare any of these Dual carriageways with the A59 Longton by-pass at Hutton, Preston Lancashire Right outside Lancashire constabulary headquarters. That road is National speed limit yet it has 90 degree angle entrances with no slip roads and pavement down both sides! yet perfectly safe. All the other dual carriageways listed above are far safer profile roads yet have been "selected" for speed enforcemewnt and lower speed limits!
LINK> www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Hutton,+Preston,+Lancashire/@53.7178079,-2.7746148,16z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x487b6d1a16dee21b:0x638fbc779f4320dd
An example of a Local village road speed limit change associated with a fixed speed camera.
2012 30mph Barton Cambridgeshire TRO#919112 speed limit changed from 40mph (in consultation with the chief police officer) - according to the speed camera statistics the camera was not even being used prior to this year!? which i do not believe to be true. I strongly suggest the records have been modified as a speed camera being there so long and only being used once does not add up.
(this location is close to the notorious A1 Beeston roundabout site and operated by the same police trilogy team Beds/Camb/Herts