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ScaredyCat
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PostPosted: 22:27 - 26 Mar 2015    Post subject: Which roads are the safest? Reply with quote

https://www.roadsafetyfoundation.org/media/30867/eurorap_brochure_2014_spread.pdf <-- contains pretty pictures and graphs and a map...


Quote:

The majority of road deaths are concentrated on just 10% of the British network, the motorways and busy ‘A’ roads outside major urban areas which are mapped in this report. The busier the road, the more frequently any flaw in layout leads to death and serious injury. The Foundation welcomes government’s increasing recognition of the need to focus action on this network where the risk of death and serious injury is frequently unacceptably high.


This year’s annual report finds 15 stretches of road where authorities have taken relatively low cost action that has reduced fatal and serious crashes by 80%: 237 people were killed and seriously injured on these 15 roads in the 3 years before the action was taken but 52 after. The economic value of just these few low cost improvements is estimated at a staggering £0.4bn. This highlights how effective simple infrastructure safety improvement can be.


This year’s results also show the major differences in regional performance. The risk of death and serious injury is two thirds higher on the major roads of the East Midlands than it is in the West Midlands. This difference is larger than between many countries. The results show that the West Midlands and Scotland are the two regions improving most quickly.


The differing risk in each regions is explained very largely by how much travel there is on safe roads and how much on risky roads. Even an average single carriageway ‘A’ road is 7 times riskier than a motorway. Some roads are 20 times or more riskier than others.


In the last few years, our understanding has grown that the in-built risks in each stretch of road can be measured. The in-built safety of road infrastructure, like cars, can be measured and star rated. We should not be driving 5-star cars on 1- and 2-star roads. It is time to set a national goal that our ‘A’ roads should achieve a minimum 3-star safety rating with 4- and 5-star ratings for our busiest trunk roads and motorways.

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rideslikean00...
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PostPosted: 22:49 - 26 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

"Staggering £0.4bn"? It looks more staggering if it is expressed as £400,000,000.

Splitting hairs aside it looks interesting, though I think the presentation and wording could have done with some redrafting just skimming through it.

The safest roads are the ones with the newest tarmac, fewest potholes, least amount of traffic, logical layouts, adequate signage etc. Which is to say, not very many in the UK!
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Pigeon
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PostPosted: 23:59 - 26 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

The UK’s most persistently dangerous road has been identified as the A285 between Chichester and Petworth. The route, which runs north to south linking the A27 with the A272, has come top of the list of the UK’s "persistently higher risk roads"


The A272 is my favourite road in the south, the A825 is 2nd/3rd
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Val
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PostPosted: 20:25 - 27 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pigeon wrote:
The UK’s most persistently dangerous road has been identified as the A285 between Chichester and Petworth. The route, which runs north to south linking the A27 with the A272, has come top of the list of the UK’s "persistently higher risk roads"


The A272 is my favourite road in the south, the A825 is 2nd/3rd


Almost same here my favorite road is A285 followed by A283 Very Happy

A285 section after you pass Duncton and the Quary is the best road ever Thumbs Up

If you look at the fatalities it is not that bad actually. There are only 8 motorcycle ones compared to total 24 on A283 and A285 in this area.

You need to choose Chichester as local authority. And there are much worse roads around based on the stats:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15975720

And the biggest problem I have with any safety stats is that they dehumanise the issue. From personal point of view even one fatality is too much.

rideslikean00b wrote:
"Staggering £0.4bn"?
The safest roads are the ones with the newest tarmac, fewest potholes, least amount of traffic, logical layouts, adequate signage etc. Which is to say, not very many in the UK!


Actually it is the opposite. The better the roads (more wide and with good tarmac) the more and serious are the accidents. This is the main reason the UK is with the lowest road accidents in the EU. It has the smallest roads. If the road is narrow with many bends and low visibility you cannot overtake too much and cannot drive too fast - hence less accidents.

On the plus side that means the best country lanes for riding Smile
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Last edited by Val on 00:59 - 28 Mar 2015; edited 3 times in total
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mailee
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PostPosted: 20:48 - 27 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well according to the news yesterday my home town, Grimsby has the highest rate of road accidents in the UK! Shocked I think I had better upgrade my armour then. Laughing
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Pigeon
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PostPosted: 21:46 - 27 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Val wrote:

Almost same here my favorite road is A285 followed by A283 Very Happy


Fair shout, 283 is another brilliant road......ruined by traffic Smile
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Jerry B
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PostPosted: 10:02 - 28 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

The A40 between Llandovery and Aberystwyth is a stunning road, and one of the 3 most dangerous roads in Wales, bugger! In fact Wales has a lot of dangerous roads, damn.

Very interesting to see this report.
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thx1138
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PostPosted: 10:16 - 28 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wonder how many of the safest roads are also the most boring roads?
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 11:01 - 28 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jerry B wrote:
The A40 between Llandovery and Aberystwyth is a stunning road, and one of the 3 most dangerous roads in Wales, bugger! In fact Wales has a lot of dangerous roads, damn.

Very interesting to see this report.


I reckon that's because it's not only a nice twisty stretch for riding, but also a major tourist route. Clearly the two don't mix! That's why I prefer the roads of mid Wales. Far less touristy traffic - in fact not much traffic at all.
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stevo as b4
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PostPosted: 12:30 - 28 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree! Mid and north wales B-roads and routes through Snowdonia, are really good biking roads and many a great ride was had on my 600 up there.

Though rural B-roads and mountain passes can be pretty dangerous roads, when you take into account poor surfaces, loads of mountain gravel on the road, and sheep and their left behinds.

There's always been plenty of cases of say, Kev on his new R1 enjoying the top end rush on these roads and around the next bend becoming a single vehicle fatality, often in a fairly gruesome way.

The conditions, and hazards might not be ideal/safest, but when such accidents happen it's often that Kev was going batshit fast and got carried away.

I do still have a feeling that it's wrong, and unfair of Kev then to tie up mountain rescue, police, ambulance and Air ambulance for hours in slow to access terrain, to recover the injured rider or body.

It's no different IMO for people that go down exploring 100's of feet underground in caves and pot holes either. When it goes to shit and someone is nearly dead or badly injured, they suddenly expect loads of expensive medical assistance and specialist rescue, that could arguably be better spent on day to day incidents or a bus crash on the M6 etc, where it really is needed by the many, not the odd thrill seeker that though fuck it im going for it over the mountain mile etc.
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 13:02 - 28 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

stevo as b4 wrote:
I agree! Mid and north wales B-roads and routes through Snowdonia, are really good biking roads and many a great ride was had on my 600 up there.

Though rural B-roads and mountain passes can be pretty dangerous roads, when you take into account poor surfaces, loads of mountain gravel on the road, and sheep and their left behinds.

There's always been plenty of cases of say, Kev on his new R1 enjoying the top end rush on these roads and around the next bend becoming a single vehicle fatality, often in a fairly gruesome way.

The conditions, and hazards might not be ideal/safest, but when such accidents happen it's often that Kev was going batshit fast and got carried away.

I do still have a feeling that it's wrong, and unfair of Kev then to tie up mountain rescue, police, ambulance and Air ambulance for hours in slow to access terrain, to recover the injured rider or body.

It's no different IMO for people that go down exploring 100's of feet underground in caves and pot holes either. When it goes to shit and someone is nearly dead or badly injured, they suddenly expect loads of expensive medical assistance and specialist rescue, that could arguably be better spent on day to day incidents or a bus crash on the M6 etc, where it really is needed by the many, not the odd thrill seeker that though fuck it im going for it over the mountain mile etc.


There is much hypocrisy spoken on this subject, and I'm not going to add to it. But air ambulance services often rely on contributions from people like myself, who have had need of them and now feel we owe something back and make contributions to that particular pot.
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mentalboy
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PostPosted: 13:30 - 28 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

stevo as b4 wrote:


It's no different IMO for people that go down exploring 100's of feet underground in caves and pot holes either. When it goes to shit and someone is nearly dead or badly injured, they suddenly expect loads of expensive medical assistance and specialist rescue, that could arguably be better spent on day to day incidents or a bus crash on the M6 etc, where it really is needed by the many, not the odd thrill seeker that though fuck it im going for it over the mountain mile etc.


Ouch!!!
There are a lot of misconceptions amongst the general public about the cave (and mountain) rescue services.

Cavers and mountaineers don't expect assistance to be there when an accident happens - idiots who are badly prepared and inexperienced may well do.
Both services are staffed entirely by volunteers, often highly experienced people who want to be there, they are not press ganged into service.
And just remember that the next time your senile old granny decides to take a walk it is often the cave and mountain rescue services that the paid forces call upon to find them, as it is when your little Johnny decides to explore the local sewers.
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rideslikean00...
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PostPosted: 14:05 - 28 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

chickenstrip wrote:
I reckon that's because it's not only a nice twisty stretch for riding, but also a major tourist route. Clearly the two don't mix! That's why I prefer the roads of mid Wales. Far less touristy traffic - in fact not much traffic at all.


People often talk with reverence about the twisties in Wales, I really need to get up there one weekend when it's sunny. Any good reasonably priced hotels near some of the better roads?

stevo as b4 wrote:
There's always been plenty of cases of say, Kev on his new R1 enjoying the top end rush on these roads and around the next bend becoming a single vehicle fatality, often in a fairly gruesome way.

The conditions, and hazards might not be ideal/safest, but when such accidents happen it's often that Kev was going batshit fast and got carried away.


Haha my uncle is called Kev and he rides an R1. Never had an off out on the roads, so he tells me. Insanely good rider, I could be in the saddle another ten years and still not be able to keep up with him.

Pigeon wrote:
The A272 is my favourite road in the south, the A825 is 2nd/3rd


Fair play, the A272 has some nice stretches, I was often using it for my work journey towards Winchester and of course it's right near Loomies Cafe. The tarmac is in very good condition on the parts I used regularly. Plenty of long sweeping corners.
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thx1138
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PostPosted: 14:13 - 28 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

the latter part of the A339 before getting on the A32 can be quite nice too
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chickenstrip
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PostPosted: 14:16 - 28 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

rideslikean00b wrote:

People often talk with reverence about the twisties in Wales, I really need to get up there one weekend when it's sunny. Any good reasonably priced hotels near some of the better roads?



Sorry, haven't used much in the way of hotels (apart from one at Beddgelert once, who's name I now couldn't tell you Rolling Eyes ), as I usually use campsites if it's more than a day visit, and have been pretty unimaginative when it comes to those even, just using one at Llandovery and one at Beddgelert. Some of us used a camping barn up near Porthmadog which was ok too.
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Calite
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PostPosted: 01:48 - 30 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

What? Some people died!?!?!?! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THERE NEEDS TO BE 20MPH LIMITS ON EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE ROADS!

Also look at how horrible and loud those bike things are! They cant be safe WE SHOULD BAN THEM! I mean my Peogeot 407 gets a 5 star safety rating and 60MPG? Why would anyone ever want any more than that?
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Jerry B
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PostPosted: 12:51 - 30 Mar 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

stevo as b4 wrote:
I agree! Mid and north wales B-roads and routes through Snowdonia, are really good biking roads and many a great ride was had on my 600 up there.

Though rural B-roads and mountain passes can be pretty dangerous roads, when you take into account poor surfaces, loads of mountain gravel on the road, and sheep and their left behinds.

There's always been plenty of cases of say, Kev on his new R1 enjoying the top end rush on these roads and around the next bend becoming a single vehicle fatality, often in a fairly gruesome way.

The conditions, and hazards might not be ideal/safest, but when such accidents happen it's often that Kev was going batshit fast and got carried away.

I do still have a feeling that it's wrong, and unfair of Kev then to tie up mountain rescue, police, ambulance and Air ambulance for hours in slow to access terrain, to recover the injured rider or body.

It's no different IMO for people that go down exploring 100's of feet underground in caves and pot holes either. When it goes to shit and someone is nearly dead or badly injured, they suddenly expect loads of expensive medical assistance and specialist rescue, that could arguably be better spent on day to day incidents or a bus crash on the M6 etc, where it really is needed by the many, not the odd thrill seeker that though fuck it im going for it over the mountain mile etc.


As you say, very scenic but the other hazards such as tourists, tractors, milk lorries, sheep, & gravel all add to the danger, but many crashes are as you suggest caused by going too fast on them, as some of these roads have some seriously tight bends which can catch you out.

Still well worth a ride out and I enjoy them as often as possible as I live in the area.

The main road between Llandovery and Aberystwyth does get busy with tourists but is still one of the most scenic roads there is and still on a must ride list I think.
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Twofish
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PostPosted: 09:41 - 15 Apr 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jerry B wrote:
The A40 between Llandovery and Aberystwyth is a stunning road, and one of the 3 most dangerous roads in Wales, bugger! In fact Wales has a lot of dangerous roads, damn.

I don't know the stats on the accidents on the A40 but when I hear about them in the news they most often seem to involve cars trying to overtake etc. There was a big one last year I think where a Focus tried to overtake a tanker.

It is a shame that Welsh roads stack up as so dangerous because they are mighty fine! Love how the A40 now has grippy concrete on many of the tighter bends Thumbs Up handy in the rain.

rideslikeaan00b wrote:
People often talk with reverence about the twisties in Wales, I really need to get up there one weekend when it's sunny. Any good reasonably priced hotels near some of the better roads?

Lots of good, cheap B&Bs in Wales, although you may have to book a reasonable way in advance. There's also a Travelodge in Betws Y Coed. Get on to TripAdvisor and do Snowdonia or straight across the middle Abergavenny - Aberystwyth.

Or come down through Brecon to the South West corner and Pembrokeshire. It's pretty good here too. Even going to the supermarket is fun.

But avoid the 6 weeks of summer school holidays or you won't get above 40mph.
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Jerry B
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PostPosted: 11:12 - 15 Apr 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Twofish wrote:


Or come down through Brecon to the South West corner and Pembrokeshire. It's pretty good here too. Even going to the supermarket is fun.



I am in Carms but Pembs is so pretty. Among my other hobbies is walking, LOL, hills and the Welsh coast path with the stretches in Pembs up there with the prettiest places anywhere in the world.
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talkToTheHat
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PostPosted: 01:48 - 16 Apr 2015    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's some numbers, don't do anything with them beyond key stage 3 maths.

The study is clever enough to show the amount of road we have and deaths by road type, how about deaths per mile traveled by road type, here we would see that single carriageways roads there is vastly increased risk. Particularly in urban areas.

Oh for the raw data from the study.

Food for thought: non strategic roads. I think over the course of today's tank of fuel I did maybe 5 miles of strategic road, half that distance was probably the getting of petrol and the rest was crossing strategic roads or roundabouts with strategic roads. There are many more non strategic roads, that see vastly less traffic and thus vastly less deaths per mile of road, but as they are either urban or winding country lanes and all falling to bits, the risk to you per mile is significantly more than the big scary motorway.

Anyone would think I was a statistician or worse, a geographer, I think I need help. Best go do a field study of those single carriageway roads.
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