The population of Wales is just over 3million. Trying to do things differently from the rest of the UK just does not work ie devolution. Just another talking shop costing the
English
tax payer millions
to provide the absurd incomprehensible (even to most of the Welsh) signage.
|
The population of Wales is just over 3million. Trying to do things differently from the rest of the UK just does not work ie devolution. Just another talking shop costing the
English
tax payer millions
to provide the absurd incomprehensible (even to most of the Welsh) signage.
How much does multilingual signage really cost?
Welsh spellings for places have been in use for 40+years. Only a handful have, like Holyhead (Caergybi) or Swansea (Abertawe), completely different names and they're all on one line seperated by a slash or brackets. Extra cost a few millilitres of paint.
Translations of instructions like Slow Now (Arafach Nawr) are completely standard and again cost is just paint and metal.
Same with Gealic placenames in Scotland.
|
|
<< Only a handful have, like Holyhead (Caergybi) or Swansea (Abertawe), completely different names and they're all on one line seperated by a slash or brackets. >>
I'll let you find your own way from Trallwng to Yr Wyddgrug then .... **
** Welshpool to Mold
|
|
the 50mph limit is only in certain emmisions hot spots where the area has been supposedly breaking the EU regulations
Though it may not only be Wales, there is a possibility all the UK will have 50mph limits to get pollution down
But I have noticed with all these pollution reduction ideas they have not done anything about smoking cars and Vans that are about, certain Fords within a few years old seem to smoke as well.
I remember my trip to Cardiff last year, late september there were 50mph limits on M4 around J28 on.... no mention of why though, maybe to do with emmisions?
|
|
|
|
From reading some of the posts on here it seems the colonial mindset is alive and well.
|
|
|
<< Only a handful have, like Holyhead (Caergybi) or Swansea (Abertawe), completely different names and they're all on one line seperated by a slash or brackets. >>
I'll let you find your own way from Trallwng to Yr Wyddgrug then .... **
** Welshpool to Mold
Via Wrecsam I think!!
|
|
My experience of negotiating Welsh signage since we moved here 4 years ago is not one of confusion or incomprehensibility. And this despite the fact that I'm English.
If on the road it says ARAF, for example, when you look REALLY closely it also says SLOW. Major place names in Welsh are, helpfully, usually accompanied by an English translation. If you need to visit minor places where names are in Welsh only, there is something called "sat nav" and there are ancient devices called "maps" which are available also to help you guide your ancient jalopy to the right destination. You may even find people walking along the road (although confusingly, some of them may not conform to your stereotype by failing to wear traditional Welsh dress). You can ask them where you are and where you need to go to get to your destination without fear of being bashed over the head with a gigantic leek. Its a radical suggestion, but possible.
I haven't seen that many cars abandoned, even in small villages, due to their drivers becoming so confused by road signs that they've given up and walked instead.
Oh, and Welsh people pay taxes too.
|
|
|
|
The bilingual sign regulation sometimes goes to silly lengths though. Because the Welsh F is pronounced V, it is necessary to write Fflint for it to sound correct. But why bother to add the English version with one F - the worst result is for non-Welsh speakers to think it a bit funny. They aren't going to get lost. Similarly for Wrecsam I guess, or even Bae Colwyn.
The sign I enjoyed most was on a quayside garage at Caernarfon, which offered (in Welsh only) BATRI - TEIARS - BRECS - ECSOST. There's much to be said for phonetic spelling.
|
|
In case anyone missed the news story:
www.express.co.uk/life-style/cars/951482/Motorway-...h
Motorists in Wales will see five stretches of road face the reduced speed limit, including two of these on sections of the M4.
All stretches of road affected are: the A494 at Deeside, A483 at Wrexham, M4 between junctions 41 and 42 Port Talbot, M4 at Newport and on the A470 between Upper Boat and Pontypridd.
They are expected to be introduced in June this year.
The Welsh government hopes the move could reduce nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels on stretches of motorway where emissions breach current legal limits.
|
|
|
|
After about 65 years' driving I have received my first NIP, for being camera-trapped in Pontybodkin on the A5104 in north Wales. The same camera saw me a few months ago, when I got a warning letter for recording 26 in a 20 limit - the same figure as this time. On Channel-5's recent programme it was galling to hear a north Wales cop saying that anyone doing 25 or less would not be prosecuted ! Today I got the standard letter offering the Awareness Course, which I shall probably attend to avoid points on my clean licence. No doubt I will find it 'interesting' but as my usual maximum cruising speed is 60-65 (indicated) I doubt that my habits will change much.
I'm happy with the principle of speed cameras, less so with the suggestion that a lower speed limit reduces pollution. Cameras should have a logical and reasonable purpose, and 20 limits should be reserved for places with special hazards such as schools. The A5104 one is on a straight residential stretch with no particular hazard and decent visibility (so useful for a camera). Purely a money trap IMHO. But that is Wales for you.
|
|
I feel your pain Andrew, a couple of years ago I got caught doing 34mph in a 30, 2pm on a Sunday afternoon, totally deserted back road, believe me take the points, the awareness course for me was beyond painful, the chap taking it was rude beyond belief, ate all the way through, seemed more concerned trying to impress the 2 ladys present and I'm convinced the company I booked the course through sold my details, got bombarded by spame emails and phone calls for a good 18 months after....
|
I feel your pain Andrew, a couple of years ago I got caught doing 34mph in a 30, 2pm on a Sunday afternoon, totally deserted back road, believe me take the points, the awareness course for me was beyond painful, the chap taking it was rude beyond belief, ate all the way through, seemed more concerned trying to impress the 2 ladys present and I'm convinced the company I booked the course through sold my details, got bombarded by spame emails and phone calls for a good 18 months after....
On the other hand, SWMBO had an awareness course, online, i sat beside her for most of the time and it wasn't that bad at all.
Certainly better taking advanatge of the 'free pass' as it were so no points or insurance penalties.
That speeding nick prompted me to buying a pair of GPS digital speedometers that sit on top of the dash wherever you see fit to place them, much easier to keep an eye on your speed.
|
|
I did one back in 2015, I don't think the on-line versions were available then so I did mine at Bath Racecourse. Many of these courses seem to be run by retired Police officers, I found the course ok and certainly worth doing to keep the points off the licence. I've spent many worse afternoons in a classroom being bored to near death by work training courses.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Where did this come from? The roads in Wales are no different by city town or countryside than anywhere else in the UK. The M4 in Newport has its problems at peak but show me a motorway that hasn't. The population of Wales is just over 3million. Trying to do things differently from the rest of the UK just does not work ie devolution. Just another talking shop costing the tax payer millions
Where did I say the roads were different in Wales?? I don't really have a view on devolution as I don't live in Wales. They decide for themselves. Surely you cannot be ignorant of the regime that Richard Brustrom used to preside over. He persecuted motorists. It had nothing to do with the traffic or congestion or anything else. It was revenue gathering disguised as safety, pure and simple.
Concrete
|
|
The initial tread from beufighter is only 5 words long from what I see on this thread, it is only gibbo that makes it clear that it is about pollution and 50mph limits on congested roads in Wales presumably at peak times? I live in Casnewydd do not speak Welsh and have never had a problem navigating this beautiful place. To suggest that people have avoided coming to Wales because of the policies of a long gone chief constable or the road markings or sign posting would mean that an awful lot of the UK are missing out on a welcome. Brumstrum legacy extends all over the UK as I suspect the 50mph policy will follow to the rest of the UK. If anyone gets lost Casnewydd is Newport and is clearly signposted although the signs need to be twice the size to accommodate both languages.
|
|
Youngrovergirl and myself lived in Carmarthen for nearly seven years, and as she worked in the Hospital with many "welsh accented girls (and boys)" she now speaks with a pronounced accent. The laugh is that me who was born and brought up in North Wales is the one with a strange "English" accent...
We had a lovely time, with super neighbours and no problem navigating around the coastal areas. Fab chip shop close by Tenby sainsburys... or Saundersfoot...
As long as I can remember there have been 50mph limits around newport, more recenly around Port Talbot.. and no probem with that.. In the rush hours 50mph is optimistic or wishful thinking...
|
|
yes 50mph is indeed optimistic around Newport in the rush hour and the crazy thing is the Welsh government want to build another motorway around the town effectively making Newport an island surrounded by polluting vehilcles, something which it is legislating to curb.
|
yes 50mph is indeed optimistic around Newport in the rush hour and the crazy thing is the Welsh government want to build another motorway around the town effectively making Newport an island surrounded by polluting vehilcles, something which it is legislating to curb.
It is around Cardiff as well and last time I travelled there most roads speed limits had been reduced by 10mph, ie side roads were 20mph that used to be 30mph, but by the time they get around to building another motorway most cars will be either hybrid or EVs so pollution should be reduced anyway, assuming the land is available to build motorway?
|
|
<< It is around Cardiff as well ... >>
I don't visit Cardiff as much as I used to, but the last time I did, the M4/48 was bunged up at the A470 junction by traffic queuing to get off. Road works not far south from this junction were responsible. IIRC it took about half an hour to travel one mile on that occasion. So the capacity of the urban roads is the limitation, not the motorway itself. It follows that building another one may only help if it is a true bypass - i.e. not connected to the urban system ?
|
|
This part of the M1 near Sheffield has been earmarked for a permanent reduced limit for some time:
www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/22/60mph-speed-...y
|
|
I wonder if high levels of pollution in Sheffield are more to do with emissions in the city than with the M1, which is to the east, downwind in the prevailing westerly wind.
The response of the authorities to impose lower speed limits on the M1 might have more to do with the zero cost of implementation than its likely effectiveness.
|
|
this is a regressive step that will negatively affect all vehicles no matter how green they are
|
|
|
