Thatcham Avenue – Speed Limit Change
Created by G NoteI’m not sure if anyone has noticed, but the speed limit on Thatcham Avenue has now been changed to 20 MPH.
This is great news as Thatcham Avenue is ever more increasingly becoming a dangerous road to have to travel or live along.
Hopefully the road will be completed soon, as Taylor Wimpey have now completed their Bryant Homes development, (other than finishing the path off).
I am also hoping something will soon be done about the ridiculous parking situation.
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on Tuesday, March 30th, 2010 at 11:55 am
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March 31st, 2010 at 9:01 pm
I agree with the speed limit of 20mph but drivers just ignore it.
I saw a Tesco delivery van, he must have been doing around 40mph.
Glad to see the clampers have been around today and clamped some of the inconsiderate drivers that park half on road half on the path down Thatcham Ave’ making it so difficult for pedestrians and people with pushchairs and small children, also no thought for the blind or wheelchair users.
Why oh why do these people not use their allocated parking space or garage?
April 1st, 2010 at 11:47 am
That’s why I put this post up to make people aware.
Maybe we should demand a few speed cameras and huge speed bumps, the sort you HAVE to slow down to 1 mph for.
I too noticed the clampers yesterday, all I can say is “it’s about bloody time too”!
April 1st, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Been a long time since I posted on here, but I echo your sentiments, it is well overdue.
Having lived in Kingsway for almost 3 years now, this is the first parking enforcement I have seen and the speed limits do now need enforcing.
Some of the speeds reached by individuals down Thatcham are frightening.
Maybe when Baz is elected, we will have a louder voice!
April 1st, 2010 at 1:30 pm
Well said G Note and DJE.
I have been saying that we need speed ramps for over 2 years, but it just seems no one wants to know.
There will be a serious accident before long, I hope that no one is killed or seriously injured.
A lot of traffic has to come down Thatcham Avenue to gain access to their homes, as this is the only way in and out.
Go down to Goose Bay Road and you will see they have a ramp bolted to the road, so why not Thatcham Avenue?
Tog
April 1st, 2010 at 2:54 pm
I think that while it’s a good thing that they have lowered the speed limit, it’s only as good as the people who adhere to it.
I think that the parking situation we have does slow the traffic, however if the parking situation gets sorted, then it will turn into a speedway.
I think that the contractors are very guilty of this, but so are others.
The idea of ramps has been raised before and we have been met with silence, however we are close to getting the tarmac laid in Thatcham, so I will ask again if we can have some effective humps laid.
On the subject of parking, while I can go and rant, its better to be able to rant with a potential solution. I find people are much more receptive and we have greater chance of success.
I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts about how you would sort it.
There is the “use your driveway/garage approach” which is very valid, but we also have visitors/friends/family who visit and have nowhere sensible.
So, if you have a suggestion, please post it as if I can have a solution(s) then we are being more proactive.
Cheers,
Baz
April 5th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
Hi Neighbours,
I agree that the speed of some drivers is an issue, and that parked cars provide a preventative measure of sorts, (‘though I would obviously prefer if people just obeyed the speed limits)!
Re: Parking Issues
I have a horrible feeling this problem will not only dog us for years to come, it will also devalue local property and cause a lot of bad feeling if it isn’t addressed.
Personally I’m not a fan of the clamping; every time it happens the problem is simply moved to another road where the clampers don’t venture (if you haven’t spotted them before it’s probably because you live in a road that hasn’t been patrolled).
It seems to me that the fault lies with the planners / developers / council / government for not providing sufficient space, and it’s sad to see people penalised for trying to make the best of a situation which is (largely) beyond their control.
Yes we should all use our garages and drives and we should all not move to a house with only parking for 1 car if we have 2 etc etc, but things change, kids grow up and buy cars, people get new jobs, we can’t all walk to work and we can’t all afford to move when these things happen.
There is a drastic shortage of parking available for residents and visitors and we must try to find a better solution than occasional ad-hoc clamping.
I wish I had the answer(s)
My immediate suggestions would include a much more sensible evaluation and approach to the double-yellow lines in the village. There are areas where parking could be permitted and there are areas where there are currently no lines but there should be!
There are also several spots where additional parking could be made available (which is what I expect the Council’s solution will eventually be).
I’m sure these will not remove the problems completely, but they could make quite a difference.
April 7th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
We’ve lived along Thatcham Avenue for just over three years now, and are appalled at the speeds which people drive past our house. Why they believe that these speeds are in any way acceptable is beyond me!
Only just this morning a contractor in a van came speeding down the road only to be met by some irresponsible resident doing the same from the opposite direction. The brakes went on, the wheels locked, and the tyres screeched the vehicles to a halt… Lucky.
Although I sometimes think it will take a serious collision here to slow people down – if only for a few days.
We NEED something here to slow the stupid speeds. Speed bumps are – to my mind, the only sensible solution. Yes, I know they are a pain in the back end, but they do work.
WE NEED SOMETHING HERE TO SLOW PEOPLE DOWN.
Once Thatcham has its top dressing (and I’m not holding my breath) the vehicles will travel even faster as the manhole covers will become flush with the surface (as long as the same bloke isn’t doing the surfacing as did the Woodvale surfacing)!
The way I see it is… the more development that gets completed towards the lower end of Thatcham, the further residents and contractors will have to travel along Thatcham, the faster they will drive to get to their intended destination.
Please, please, please… Can we get something done before an innocent bystander is killed or seriously injured?
D.
April 7th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
darreng
Can you email me what number you live at? We have some of the speed calming stuff at the bottom, but nothing as you get further up and I was wondering which part you were in?
The issue of speed is a concern as The Police have done some monitoring and the speeds recorded are not good. That was Woodvale and at school time. So I am keen to try and sort something without having to wait for Council adoption.
Barry
April 7th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
Thanks Barry. How do I find your mail address?
D.
April 7th, 2010 at 7:11 pm
The parking is also a concern, only 3 days ago a people carrier was parked in the middle of the road, and since Friday a white car has been parked next to the give way (move to center of road) which has completely messed the operation of that part of the road up. I do not agree that cars parking everywhere slows people down, if anything it creates risk takers.
When I lived in Hardwicke as a kid, at the entrance to each street there were rumble bricks that really, do make you slow down. Speed bumps are ok (if you care about our car) rumble pads actually slow you down. Yes there are maintenance costs as the bricks will move over time but this is a much better solution. The number of Vans parking in Kingsway needs to be enforced as well. I re-checked my deeds, they are definitely not allowed.
The parking has simply got to stop, really… Come on people show some respect to your neighbours.
April 7th, 2010 at 7:57 pm
The key with the parking is that restrictions need to be in the places required for safe passage – and those restrictions then need to be enforced. At present, QUVL decorated the roads with the yellow lines, and then they changed them by painting some over with black paint so no-one is really sure of where they should park. Then again, there are those who will insist on parking where ever they want.
I suppose that reasonable enforcement will not be possible until the roads are adopted, and we’ll continue to have the clampers around ‘randomly’.
I do find it quite ironic that QUVL have painted double yellows in many of the main roads which are periodically enforced by the clampers. Then, the site has restrictions in place preventing construction traffic from accessing the building areas through Woodvale and Thatcham, and yet those are not enforced. The trucks just keep rolling past the houses without so much as a slap on the wrist.
April 7th, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Darreng – its mrbpkirby@hotmail.com
April 13th, 2010 at 11:06 am
Speed bumps just wreck your car over time.
The rumble strips sound like a good idea and the 20mph limit is good too.
One thing I notice is some idiots who live here take no notice of the right of way signs at the islands on Thatcham Ave’, which will cause lots of accidents as some people think they own the road!
April 14th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
Rumble strips – no thanks.
We’re kept awake at night with speeding idiots, let alone if they had rumble strips to pelt across.
I know humps aren’t ideal either, but at least they’d be quieter. I cannot help but feel that there was little consideration for speed control around Kingsway. It makes me laugh when I see the signs at the (single) entrance to the site that this is a ‘Speed restricted’ area.
Only just today I witnessed some idiot in a green Subaru over taking between the Thatcham roundabout and the cross road lights heading out along Woodvale.
April 15th, 2010 at 8:25 am
I have to agree for the most part, but not at entrances to streets, rumble pads would be ideal here (there are some where I live).
However, speed bumps only kill your car if you don’t slow down and enter 2nd gear to go over them. To be honest a speed Camera or those average speed cameras may be a better option. At least they are fined and have 3 points on their licence. Within no time at all, the idiot drivers would no longer be drivers!
The parking is getting much worse again, you people know who you are, stop being so selfish! I think we may have to resort to naming and shaming people.