Cardboard cop-out? Residents given FAKE policeman to stop speeding

Crafty councillors have unveiled their latest weapon against speeding motorists - 4 cardboard cut-out traffic cops complete with hi-vis jacket and speed gun. Known as "pop up bob figures"

Residents of Eglington Crescent in Edinburgh were concerned that motorists were regularly breaching the 20mph limit on their road and have now been given a pop up bob to use and advised to use it on alternate days.

Officers from The City of Edinburgh Council have praised the cardboard policeman as a useful road safety tool, however some others are not quite so convinced. 

Labour councillor Gordon Munro questioned the effectiveness of what he labelled a 'token gesture'.

'How effective are these going to be once drivers realise that’s all they are? Real police is what will inhibit driving.'

Superintendent Mark Rennie said 'Alongside high-visibility patrols and safety cameras, the ‘pop-up Bob’ prop is used in areas to help deter speeding and is a visual reminder to drivers to make sure that they drive in a responsible manner,'

'The cut out of a police officer holding a speed gun, which is not used in place of genuine officers, can be deployed to areas where speeding has been reported as an issue.

But some residents around the Haymarket part of Edinburgh have taken to social media to slam the cop cutouts.

One resident wrote online: 'I don’t think he’s cut out for the job.'

Another joked: 'This is a perfect late night pissed up thieving for any local student. Brilliant ornament for any student flat.'

More on this story https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6134333/Edinburgh-residents-complained-speeding-cars-given-CARDBOARD-traffic-officers-use.html

Motorway speed limits 'could rise to 80mph' - but the public prefer going 10mph slower

Head of the Highways England Jim O'Sullivan has argued that the speed limit could rise in certain areas of the road network  to 80mph but it is 'public opinion' stopping the change.

Mr O'Sullivan also said that classic cars may be banned from fully-automated motorways in the next 30 years as they will not be able to communicate with the autonomous cars and lorries and will therefore present a risk, reports the Daily Telegraph.

The roads boss said that vehicles where the motorist is in complete control would probably have to be removed from the roads as early as the middle of the century.

Back in 2011 an official plan to increase the speed limit on motorways was launched by Philip Hammond, when he was transport secretary. At the time it was thrown on the back burner due to a lack of support from the Coalition Government and hasn't been revisited since.

The current top speed of 70mph was introduced in 1965, The Highways England chief executive said  'We have not done a formal safety analysis but there are parts of the network that subject to a safety analysis could probably operate at 80 miles an hour.'

Dont get exited though! the change is unlikely to happen to any time soon as the boss said that there is a 'low probability' that a consensus would be reached. He said that he believes the barrier is more to do with public opinion and views than it has to do with vehicle technology. 

The Chancellor of the Exchequer previously said in 2017 that the Governments plan was to have driverless vehicles on the roads by 2021.

Mr O'Sullivan said that during the initial roll-out period there will be a 'mixed economy', arguing that non-autonomous cars are a long way from being phased out.  

He also confirmed that the organisation's plan to increase the speeds from 50mph to 60mph on Sundays and that this trial  is due to begin before the end of the year, assuming the six month trial is a success it is likely to become the standard speed limit by the end of next year. 

To read more please go to https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6146599/Motorway-speed-limits-rise-80mph-says-roads-boss.html