Absurd Speed Limits

During the ceaseless work we've been doing on behalf of the campaign to save the Denburn Dual Carrageway ('like' us on FaceBook, 'follow' us on Twitter) - thus saving Aberdeen's heritage as the last town to give in to the green spin that that urban dual carriageways are not an unalloyed good - we've discovered a few disturbing facts that we didn't know before...

By far the most disturbing thing we've found out is that there is a 30mph speed limit on this stretch of road. This is just weird. Why isn't the limit 50?

At least this WVM seems to be traveling at speed as he engages in work of
national importance on our Heritage Dual Carrageway.
We want to see much more of this.

Another example is North Esplanade West, by the Dee river between Victoria Bridge and the Queen Elizabeth Bridge.

From the North East Safety Camera [sic] Partnership (NESCAP):

These are some of the roads in Aberdeen which are dual carriageways but still have a 30mph speed limit. Please note that this list is not exhaustive:

• North Esplanade West
• Market Street (Trinity Quay to Victoria Bridge)
• Virginia Street
• Commerce Street
• East North Street
• West North Street
• Beach Boulevard
• Causewayend
• Ellon Road (from Bridge of Don to North Donside Road
• Wellington Road (from QE2 Bridge to its junction near Greenwell Rd)
• Great Northern Rd (from Printfield Walk to near Deer Rd)
• Auchmill Rd (through Bucksburn )

It's no small wonder that the Denburn Dual Carriageway is so woefully underused when this arbitrary and absurd upper speed limit is put on the responsible drivers of Aberdeen Cars who are in the best position to decide what's a suitable speed to be driving at. We say abolish the limit and let the motorist decide - that'll soon get our heritage roads used to their full potential delivering eager shoppers to our city's prime retail real estate to generate some much-needed economic growth (and get some 'retail therapy' into the bargain!).

There's one crumb of comfort in the NESCAP statement: "These are some of the roads in Aberdeen which are dual carriageways but still have a 30mph speed limit...". Yes. It's that use of the word "still". This suggests that even speed-camera boosters NESCAP agree with us that 30mph is old-fashioned and should be phased out. Their use of the word "still" suggests that this too is their aspiration. After all, they are drivers of Aberdeen Cars too, aren't they?