2 County Council committees proposed that the-then 70mph speed limit be reduced to 50mph across the Isle of Wight, the Isle of Wight Mercury reported on 19th June 1974. The proposal was made by Councillor Morris Barton, who said:
“This is a small Island with comparatively narrow roads. No one should have to travel at fast speeds on our types of road. “At a time when there has been talk about saving energy and we’ve just finished a period when there was a national 50mph speed limit to save fuel – and it cut down accidents – we should take a lead over the rest of the country. “Other off shore islands round the coast of Britain had speed limits. A lot of our summer visitors drive much too fast as if they still have to get to the office on time.”
Councillor Cooper disagreed, claiming:
“The visitors I’ve followed seem to be on the cautious side and no slower than the rest of us.”
The County Surveyor, Mr J E Reed, stated:
“A recent survey of the speed of vehicles on the main roads of the Island has shown that only about 10% were driving at more than 50mph. The Ministry of Environment would have to give approval but might not consider the lower limit of any great consequence.”
Councillor Darken said:
“The police may consider that the proposed speed limit will be difficult to enforce with thousands of visitors who come here every year and are used to 70mph.”
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The proposal was passed in the committee stage for discussion by the full Council, but of course was never actioned. However, the national speed limit was reduced from 70 to 60mph for single carriageways in 1977. Despite car safety improving and the development of driver aids, the speed limit has remained unchanged since.
Doesnt matter how much they lower the speed,people will always drive to the road conditions,and we dont have the rozzers to police it,not unless the council recruit more wombles pretending to be speed police,with nothing better to do,which will end up with a motorist getting out of their car and venting at poor elsie who gave up her crochet club to do speedwatch.
Leftist fascists! We should have the freedom to travel at any speed.
“A recent survey of the speed of vehicles on the main roads of the Island has shown that only about 10% were driving at more than 50mph.”
But they didn’t have Carol in her Nissan Juke sport with low profile tyres, did they?
Doesnt stop all the accidents that happen every day. Its the worst its ever been .
Its a quote from 1974
Tell me why I’m destined to sit behind a column of traffic barely doing 30 mph in a 60mph limit every day?
And the bloody lefty fan club idiots that never venture away from their keyboards want a 20mph island wide? Really, frustration is probably behind a lot of accidents, people dawdling along resting their sleepy head on the steering wheel…..
Nobody wants 20 island wide. Go back to your Facebook Tory silo.
Nobody in their right mind.
But the left never are….
I hope you enjoy what you’ve voted for.
20mph saves lives
The island is run by a bunch of softies (marshmallows)
Sadiq Khan would put a STOP to selfish B’stards speeding
on the island.
20mph is plenty!
Get yourself a horse then
20mph saves lives
And we can see how well the 20mph speed limit went in leftist Wales, they can’t wait to scrap it.
You can swear, shake your fist, blow your horn, moan and groan I will drive whatever speed I want to I just couldn’t give a monkey if I am in your way!
Unfortunately it has very little to do with speed,there are more accidents from poor driving than speed.. the amount of people driving along 50 mph roads doing 35 to 40 mph is dangerous and most of the time continue to drive at that speed in a 30 mph area., if you can’t drive to the conditions and speed of the road you shouldn’t be driving.
Doing 35-40 in a 50 doesn’t really cause accidents does it? It might frustrate people into a dangerous overtake, but plenty of vehicles do below the speed limits, buses, HGVs, tractors, caravans. It just seems like youre wanting to rant
Speed limit not speed target
The island always makes me laugh
Walking along the Esplanade in Sandown
late this morning and a black Mitsubishi Shogun
with NO MOT
MOT EXPIRED 22nd June 2024
Vehicle Reg SS04 AFY drove up the
NO ENTRY Esplanade Road on to the
High Street
WHERE IS THE LAW AND ORDER
Crush the vehicle
2 offences, driving with NO MOT and up a
NO ENTRY ROAD
When will some NUMPTY on the Island have the balls to
Impose 20mph
I would, and get a tow truck, so they can tow away and crush
vehicles that park on Pavements.
Tosser ! Perhaps you should try to get the chap with a top hat and a red flag back
well we all know how useless Morris Barton was
They should have gone ahead with it back in 1974. They are slowly but surely bringing most roads down to 50mph in any case!
The speed limit for the island should be no more than FORTY MPH but now with so many maniacs on the road. As if the dual carriageway isn’t enough the Cowes to Newport is a speed trap. But with no police or speed traps you will never stop them.
Starting to learn to drive at 16 is ridiculous. 18 should be the start as at 16 you are getting more and more on our narrow road.
They need to stop the idiots that are on their phones and women putting on make whilst driving, yes I’ve seen it.
That’s only the men
Lol