BA Consultation: Speed Limits

[Meantime]

This could be interesting! The BA are looking at a series of initiatives to try and alleviate the over crowding of parts of the system, especially the Bure above Acle bridge and the Ant during the main part of the season. One of the proposals put forward has been to alter the speed limits to try and encourage boats to explore more of The Southern Broads.

The main suggestion has been to introduce a maximum speed limit of 4mph on all the rivers above Acle bridge and keeping the current 3mph zones where applicable. A BA spokesperson said that was in recognition of the over crowding on that part of the network and that such measures should help to reduce any collisions.

To try and encourage more people to venture South the proposal goes on to say that the speed limit between Acle Bridge and Stokesby will remain the same with 6mph in parts.

The following is the part that may be seen by some as contentious. They propose to raise the speed limit to 8mph, below Stokesby all the way to Yarmouth except the stretch past Stracey Arms.

There is then talk of effectively removing the speed limit for the majority of boats on the lower Waveney and Yare by introducing a 10 mph limit between Breydon up to St Olaves and up to Reedham. Apart from the sea going boats from Brundall, not much else would be able to achieve speeds in excess of 10mph anyway. I can see their rationale, but personally I would think that the Lower Waveney is a little too tight and twisty in places for 10mph!

The rest of The Southern rivers would be restricted to a maximum of 8mph, apart from where there are moorings, villages etc where the current limits would apply.

I think I support the general ethos to try and alleviate over crowding in the North and encourage more boats South and make it a faster and quicker journey, but think they may be abandoning some of their conservation requirements for the Southern rivers. Whilst there may be greater distances we don't need it turning into the M25.

Please discuss sensibly and don't shoot the messenger!

[Poppy]

Today is 1st April 2019. I'll say no more.

[Meantime]

It maybe toll renewal day and the timing could have been better, but I'm not sure that changes much really!

[NeilB]

They could turn it into a smart waterway like the M25 and have different limits depending on how bad the traffic is.  The gantries would need to be quite high though to allow for sailing vessels.....

[JennyMorgan]

It is a fact that the BA has being seeking ways of spreading the load so to speak, if only to reduce the pressure on public moorings on the North Rivers. For the life of me I can not see that meddling with the speed limits will achieve that. Overcoming the fear that so many North Rivers boaters have of going outside their comfort zone, e.g. Breydon and tides in general, might help. It doesn't matter where you are on the Broads but a large proportion of boaters, especially at weekends,  go no further than the first convenient 24hr mooring. They don't actually do cruising as such thus the reality is that boats on the Broads need two moorings, the one they go from and the one they go to and all too often they are not that far apart.  No sense of adventure if you ask me!  Nothing whatsoever to do with speed limits!

And so to speed, some practical research clearly needed here. A number of semi planing and planing hulls, at 10 mph, create a pretty fearsome wash. At 10 mph a twenty footer might well be exceeding its theoretical maximum hull speed thus will also throw up a big wash. This one needs some careful thought. Increased fuel consumption, increased exhaust, increased noise in many cases. At first sight these proposals don't add up to being environmentally friendly, arghhh, I'm turning into a reed hugger!

I am not entirely convinced that the date is irrelevant! 

[annv]

If they wish to encoridge boats to the south perhaps more/extended moorings along with power points would work better, there are many places and some near pubs that could easily be enlarged for more boats Whitingham Park extended, A new mooring at Whittingham Park park up near the bridge the bank needs attention any way, Surling Ferry along the bird santory bank, Somerleyton, opposite the Roman Fort at Burgh Castle,Just past the Tea Gardens on opposite bank at the bend, already two cuts here, Aldeby, opposite bank to pub at Geldeston, The new pillings just before Beccles. Not only more moorings for boats but will help businesses as well. John

[Poppy]

9 minutes ago, JennyMorgan said:

I am not entirely convinced that the date is irrelevant! 

Really?

[JennyMorgan]

1 minute ago, annv said:

If they wish to encoridge boats to the south perhaps more/extended moorings along with power points would work better,

In principle I agree with Annv's very reasonable suggestion, other than the need for more power points. If boats are actually cruising, e.g. going South, then their batteries would surely be fully charged? Anyway, that's a minor detail. In principle down South needs to offer more than it does, I can't argue with that! Mind you, we have some of the best pubs on the Broads and quite a few of them. More public moorings at St Olaves is high on my list of desirables, not sure where though!

[JennyMorgan]

3 minutes ago, Poppy said:

Really?

Really! To be perfectly blunt the idea of increasing speed limits is daft enough to warrant some speculation that it has actually come from a certain, unspecified, unmentionable source!

[JennyMorgan]

A very clever April Fool! Given me a smile and a chortle!

[Poppy]

There are some who blieved in the 'Straight Banana ' story and other such tabloid 'squit'.

[grendel]

2 hours ago, NeilB said:

They could turn it into a smart waterway like the M25 and have different limits depending on how bad the traffic is.  The gantries would need to be quite high though to allow for sailing vessels....

Ah but on the M25 the speed limit shown is a mere aspiration, rarely can you do more than half the stated speed.

[Smoggy]

I always liked the spaghetti harvest, done by anglia tv if I remember correctly.

[Poppy]

30 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

I always liked the spaghetti harvest, done by anglia tv if I remember correctly.

It was 'Panorama'.