Removal Of Cefn Road Speed Limit Signs Causes Confusion

The removal of speed limit signs on a busy Wrexham Road has caused chaos for local drivers.

40mph signs were recently removed from Cefn Road after roadworks to replace traffic lights with a roundabout were completed.

Now confusion reigns over whether the road used by many to access Wrexham Industrial Estate has become a 30mph zone or not.

Concerns have also been raised that driver’s unaware of the speed limit may be caught out by North Wales Police’s ‘Arrive Alive’ van, which is often seen on top of the hill.

One driver, “tiger-lily” on our Wrexham.com forums, said that she has experienced tail gating, rude gestures and aggressive over taking from other road users as a result of sticking to 30mph in the absence of any signs.

She said: “They seem to think I am being awkward by doing 30mph where it used to be 40mph. Now either they have not noticed that it is no longer 40mph or they just don’t care.

“I know I should ignore them but it has now got to the point that I am fed up with all the abuse I get using Cefn Road and go the longer way around and through all the road works to get onto the Industrial Estate.”

We got in touch with Wrexham Council and they confirmed that Cefn Road has now become a 30mph zone but said that they have no intention of putting up new signs to educate drivers.

One forum user suggested that a fine for speeding in that zone could therefore not be enforced by law as new speed limit in operation signs are required to be displayed for 6 months in such a case.

A spokesperson for Wrexham Council’s Environment Department said: “A formal consultation was undertaken in December of last year to revoke the then existing 40mph speed limit and so return Cefn Road to a 30mph limit.

“During that consultation process, which was fully supported by local county councillors and North Wales Police, no objections were received.

“Following this consultation the 40mph speed limit was revoked on 12 March 2012, and Cefn Road reverted back to a 30mph speed limit, between the Greyhound roundabout and the temporary 40mph speed limit signs adjacent to Llwyn Onn housing estate.

“In respect of signing a 30mph limit, current legislation governing 30mph speed limits does not allow for the placement of additional signage within these limits should street lighting be present, which is the case on Cefn Road. Therefore the placement of additional signage along this length of highway is not possible.”

Since their response Pete has been in touch with us to highlight the following passage from the Traffic Signs Manual published by the Department for Transport relating to reducing a speed limit to 30mph:

“Regular drivers might not at first realise that the speed limit has changed; they might not notice that the speed limit signs have been removed. A sign to diagram 7032 should therefore be erected to advise drivers that a new 30mph speed limit is in force”

Should signs be installed on Cefn Road to inform drivers of the speed limit change? Join the debate in our forums.