Belfast City Center speed limit reduced to 20mph

[eamon343]

Shops are open until 9pm 3 days of the week and all day Sunday too.

Regardless though, I accept that at certain times. However, I don't think shoppers will think it out in that way. I think they'll just make a swooping decision.

City centre drivers now have to concentrate on driving in a built up area, pedestrians, half-wise cyclists, buses pulling in, out and swooping across lanes, being caught in a bus lane by a camera (when often hard to avoid), taxis thinking they own the road (particularly black taxis and I'm not branding all black taxi drivers as this btw) and now constantly looking at their speedometer to ensure they don't get caught creeping over 20mph?

To many this is simply 'not worth the hassle'. I have no doubt traders will feel this.

No offense but maintaining a steady 20 mph isn't difficult and cant see this affecting the traders

 

[Topmark]

None taken, and you're absolutely correct.

My point is though that this accompanied by all the other pains of driving in this city centre will start to - not just the 20mph alone. I worked with city centre retailers for almost 5 years and you hear this sort of thing in feedback from the public regularly.

 

[Pumesta]

I can't see it effecting shoppers on it's own TBH. Although combined with the cost of parking and the bus lane fines, I can see people going f*** it I will just go to Sprucefield or Holywood exchange.

 

[Rocko]

Long may they avoid Belfast City Centre for their sports equipment.

 

[stevieturbo]

Long may they avoid Belfast City Centre for their sports equipment.

New advertising posters...

Come to Podium to avoid bus lane fines, 20mph fines, congestion and basically Belfast City Council being money grabbing arsholes....to get a bargain for your sports equipment.
You can even carry the goods directly to your vehicle, no parking fines or worries.

 

[Rocko]

Our new TV ad could be you speeding down the Knock Carriageway, driving over badgers and small children, laughing as your handbrake turn into car park, then a huge rolling burnout up the front door!

 

[KillerJim]

I heard (a rumour) that alot of these decisions (including the bus lanes) where taken without any real consultation with knowledable people. If the vast majority of normal people go "wtf" at some councils "great plans" you got to wonder about the people driving these schemes.

 

[Tommy]

I'm all for a pedestrianized city centre and I can see this happening in the future hence why all these incentives and deterrents bus lanes, speed restrictions etc.

 

[stevieturbo]

I heard (a rumour) that alot of these decisions (including the bus lanes) where taken without any real consultation with knowledable people. If the vast majority of normal people go "wtf" at some councils "great plans" you got to wonder about the people driving these schemes.

Is that not standard practise here ? Even when they do consult, they seem to either just consult with themselves or morons.....but I bet they pay plenty for those consultations.

 

[Topmark]

Apologies if this has been asked/answered (didn't see it in any of the news articles)... Will this speed limit be regulated with any permanent/static speed cameras? Or just the van type on occasion?

 

[pablo]

20mph? No chance.

 

[KillerJim]

Apologies if this has been asked/answered (didn't see it in any of the news articles)... Will this speed limit be regulated with any permanent/static speed cameras? Or just the van type on occasion?

I'm not sure, but I've seen neither when I've been in town..

 

[stevieturbo]

1 week down, I wonder how many lives have been saved so far ?

 

[Coog]

I drove through the city centre on Sunday morning there and hardly killed anyone.

It felt excruciatingly slow... and to top it off everyone else around me was flying around at twice the speed I was going lol

 

[Mont]

Here's a map for the affected streets for anyone who hasn't seen it. I only had a look today as I was on Great Victoria St and College Sq East last night and wasn't 100% if 20mph or 30mph.

 

[stevieturbo]

So far this year, 0 road deaths in Belfast...9 elsewhere.

And they're wasting time and resources on doing this in Belfast. Ya really got to wonder what is going on. It almost seems insane

 

[Father Stack]

It's 100% a case of muppets being in charge of making these rules, appealing to other muppets.

Joe and Mary Bloggs who sit at home, rarely travelling into Belfast City Centre hear on the radio that in order to increase safety, the speed limit has been reduced to 20mph. "Great idea!" they exclaim, since the only exposure they have to this is the DOE adverts where if you drive at 32mph your car flips over and kills 15 children.

Bus lane cameras/fines, ridiculous speed limits etc. They won't make anything any safer, because the people making these rules haven't a notion what they're doing. There isn't a problem with road safety in Belfast City Centre. There isn't a problem with road safety in NI, there's a problem with people being unable to drive, as the driving test is a shambles.

 

[chris_b]

Just left town and only on the way out did I remember about this. Roads were really quiet for this time during the week

 

[Coog]

Of all the roads in Belfast that could do with a 20 limit it should be Sandy Row IMO. I've seen too many near misses on that road in rush hour. Ped crossings blocked by queued cars, pedestrians walking out between queued cars and MPV's flying along at 30+ trying to dose cyclists who are already travelling at 15-20 mph out of the way. The big wide streets in the city centre are much less dangerous. Aside from the buses weaving from one side to the other lol

 

[alpha-dog]

shame the 20mph couldn't save this mans life

Belfast homeless death: Tributes as second homeless man in months dies in city

 

[KillerJim]

Here's a map for the affected streets for anyone who hasn't seen it. I only had a look today as I was on Great Victoria St and College Sq East last night and wasn't 100% if 20mph or 30mph.

Phew! pretty sure I did 30mph along Victoria street this morning in a rear moment of lapse

 

[Andy044]

You mean that I drove past the eurpoa hotel at 20mph for nothing??!!!
Definitely wasn't getting over taken anyway

 

[stevieturbo]

shame the 20mph couldn't save this mans life

Belfast homeless death: Tributes as second homeless man in months dies in city

They must not have any available accommodation for the homeless here. He'd maybe have got somewhere if he tried to claim asylum though

 

[davey-dimples]

Are there cameras in place for this yet?

I keep finding it hard to stick to it and end up at 25 before I notice!

Still feel like im crawling

 

[jimcupra]

Heard on the radio today ballymena are set to follow with the same 20mph idea. FFS you can't get up to 5mph in the town during the day idiots.