'Accident waiting to happen' on major Coventry route as sudden speed limit change slammed

Coventry Live readers have offered up mixed opinions on the A46's erratic speed limit from the M6 leading into Coventry. Indeed, as our own Conor Knell discovered during a test drive, the abrupt plunge from 70 to a 50 mph restriction is a reliable giveaway of who’s local and who’s not.

Newcomers, he found, slam on their brakes in anticipation of imminent speed cameras while regulars steam on by, treating the legal limits as mere guidelines. It seems worlds away from Coventry's rigorous streets where a host of average speed cameras rigorously enforce motoring discipline.

Coventry motorists opened up about their experiences, with Conan the Mermaid reflecting: "All the cars that I have driven in my 70+ years show the speed to be approximately 10% greater than the actual. This means when you think you are doing 50, you're doing only 45. Thus the glares from the impatient others. Hope this helps."

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PERCY adds: "Yep driven down there and all cars pass me. We need average speed cameras on as many roads as possible. The difference is noticeable straight away, .and all you who hate them, carry on speeding, pay your fine then we'll get more cameras, win win."

Mxlerone writes: "What's weird is that when they were building the new tollbar roundabout and flyover, that 50mph section had average speed cameras put in place and everything worked fine (or you received a fine). For some reason it must have been decided to allow the road to descend into anarchy through their removal instead."

Kenpas says: "The reason the speed limit is 50mph on that part of the A46/A45, is the bend under the Toll Bar junction, as speeding vehicles are in danger of overturning under the junction. Also there is parking places built along that stretch for the mobile speed cameras to park up. I haven't seen any mobile cameras on it yet!!"

Disorganised1 adds: "Just drive around the ring road. I get overtaken daily driving at the speed limit, and on both sides of the car - often by private hire cars."

Mikehf comments: "Never have any problem sticking to the speed limit."

Destroyedcountry believes: "Oh dear, anyone with a inch of common sense would never have set the speed limits as they are!"

Over on our Facebook page - Belle Barnes says: "Excellent point and I don’t know why it’s not been called out before. I regularly drive on that road and I too follow the speed limit signs. They are there for a reason so when you feel like your the one in the wrong, the truth is that everyone else driving at 60/70 mph are in the wrong. I agree, it’s an accident waiting to happen. Maybe this article will make the highways agency or whoever deals with our roads, sort it out once and for all."

While Saucey Sue adds: "The 50mph stretch is round by the jaguar and A444/Warwick bypass where there are multiple lanes for different places, similar to the picture of the article above, as well as slip roads joining. It’s by far safer to reduce the speed limit than having everyone trying to achieve national speed limit whilst also trying to be in the correct lane. I guarantee there’d be people screaming about the number of accidents if the speed limit was 70. And remember people, a speed limit is not a target, it’s a maximum speed allowed."

Vicki Walls-Gilbert thinks: "Well if you’re driving to the letter of the law you’ll be in the left hand lane and not be holding up anyone who wishes to speed as you’ll pull over as soon as you’ve over taken. Which leaves a lane free for the speedsters! You will also not travel in the right hand lane for miles, not over taking anything, often travelling way below the speed limit simply because you haven’t got the balls to change into the right hand lane as you approach your junction to turn right."

So do you believe that the limit is correct? Let us know HERE or in the comments below.