By Highways England responds to frustration over A180 40mph speed limit
Many motorists have been left frustrated recently as the A180 has been reduced to a 40mph speed limit whilst roadworks take place.
Some took to Facebook to share their concerns, with one user writing: “The frustrating thing is, where they are removing the old barriers, it looks like they are placing concrete makeshift ones in to cover the gaps, so why the hell is it down to 40mph?”
Another frustrated driver shared: “Does anyone actually know why the 40mph restriction is applied?”
However, some motorists have defended the new speed limit, stating that it only adds an extra 5 minutes onto their journey.
National Highways Project Manager Steve Bishop explained the reasoning behind the 40mph speed limit, stating: “When setting a temporary speed limit we take a measured, safety-led decision that considers a number of factors. In this case, there is no central reserve barrier so reducing the speed limit to 40mph means we can reduce the severity of any collision or personal injury should there be an incident.”
Recently motorists were left confused by the roadworks as despite claims that work had begun they could not see any sign of work taking place.
Work to install new steel safety barriers has now restarted after the Christmas break.
The £2m scheme will see around two miles of barrier installed as well as drainage repairs and upgrades to road signs between the Stallingborough Interchange and Pyewipe Roundabout.
Clearing up confusion on what works are taking place National Highways Project Manager Steve Bishop said: “So far we have installed the safety camera system and removed just under a mile of the old barrier. We paused work at the end of December to limit the amount of roadworks taking place during the Christmas getaway and restarted this week.
“The work is taking place overnight, so road users will not see any activity on-site during the day. However, the temporary speed limit will remain in place 24 hours a day to ensure the safety of the public due to the missing central reservation barrier.
“The A180 is a vital route through the area and this essential work will improve safety for the thousands of drivers who use this road every day and create smoother journeys in the long run.
“We are working hard to keep disruption to a minimum, but I’d urge drivers to plan their journey in advance when closures are in place. I want to thank them for their patience while we carry out this essential safety work.”
Work takes place between 8 am and 6 am Monday to Friday and involves overnight closures of either the east or westbound carriageway, with occasional overnight weekend closures.
It is expected to be complete by the end of March.
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