Evo Triangle (A543) Average Speed Cameras

[CraigHew]

With the arrival of the warm weather I got up early this morning and headed for some of my favorite North Wales roads.  In all I did 180 miles getting back home for 10am via, Llangollen, Horseshoe Pass, Ruthin, Cerrygydrudion, Betws y coed, Ffestiniog, Bala, Penybontfawr, Oswestry, Wittington, Ellesmere, Whitchurch.

As many on the forum will know there are some great roads up here but horror of horrors SOME IDIOT HAS INSTALLED AVERAGE SPEED CAMERAS on the A543 section of the Evo Triangle.

I know it's been rumoured for a while that North Wales are cracking down on some of the more favoured B roads but flippin heck. There are currently 3 sets of new gantry cameras on the 7 mile section, bright yellow, pointing both directions, mounted on very high galvanised poles so care is needed not to exceed an average of 60mph between consequtive cameras.

Clearly you can still enjoy the road once you're aware of the camera locations and deploy a bit of sensitive braking but the road has lost a lot of its attraction.  On-line law enforcement articles cite 4 deaths in 3 years on the stretch, a statistic that you cannot really ignore.

Its such a shame that the reckless activities of a minority has repercussions on the majority.  I'm all for safety on the roads but there are very good open stretches of the A543 where the visibility and road conditions can be driven safely at high speed.  I guess high speed however is a relative term for some.

Thank goodness that the rest of the run-out had no more new cameras (that I saw anyway).

[stephenh]

In the majority of cars, 60mph average is probably too fast. However, in something like a Westfield, particularly a well sorted and powerful one, there is a trick you can use if you really want to. Take a picnic with you, and stop at a convenient point between each pair of cameras, and have a sandwich or a bag of crisps,  and maybe half a cup of coffee or a cold drink, then carrry on until the next stop. You are very unlikely to average 60 mph then!