I hope you don't have a headache from that head banging. Excellent explanation as always! I knew that the UK's roads legislation was a mess but I didn't realise just how big of a mess it actually is. Regarding the A14 at Huntington; I seem to remember that National Highways were going to use Special Roads powers to make it A14(M) but it opened as vanilla A14 using regular TRO's because the legal orders necessary to make the road a motorway disappeared in to a parliamentary black hole.
It was another casualty of "Get Brexit Done" but the idea was a bit naff to begin with. I wrote about it at the time: showmeasign.online/2018/01/02/expressways-and-why-theyre-not-going-to-work/
I learnt to drive in Chester and had to take part of my test on the A55. You would fail if you didn't attempt to get up to speed 50mph+ traffic allowing.
I’ve been learning about non-motorway special roads for the past few days, One of the unusual characteristics of all non-motorway Special Roads is that they must have their Speed Limits defined within their Statutory Instruments and signposted explicitly, as the National Speed Limit only applies to all-purpose roads and motorways.
Hi Bryn, I wonder why the A55 at Colwyn Bay is not a motorway, my be it does not meet up with other motorways the junctions are A547, B5105, A546, A470. But I was told at Llandulas where regulations begin is 70 and as you travel under the Rainbow bridge it drops to 50 this was reduced as the on and off slip roads are short and don't meet the standards of a dual carriage way with a 70 limit. When work began on the Colwyn Bay section in 1984 there was no cables , gas, water or electricity under the carriageway this was so the traffic is not diverted through Llandulas, Old Colwyn , Colwyn Bay and Mochdre for road works on services, apart from resurfacing the carriageway. This is the only route through Colwyn Bay as there is no other alternative route for other vehicles may be that is why it not a motorway, I don't know if this is correct just my theory. Great video Bryn Take care
Tractors are allowed on that length of the A55 - if it wasn't for this allowance under the special roads legislation it would indeed be an isolated A55(M).
Legislation is always straight forward and easy isn’t it? 😆🤦♂️ Very well explained, thank you. You often see these “no” signs at the entrance to road tunnels - are they covered under the special roads as well or is that different legislation?
@@tomwinch9107 you would presumably have an exemption for emergencies just as you do with motorways but it's an interesting question. The reality is of course there's very little point to a totally access controlled cycle way even though you can legally make them.
Great interesting video, theA2 from Dartford to the M2 is motorway standards , another interesting question is why the Dartford crossing as the A282 not m25 . Regards mark
The A2 was widened online and therefore never converted to motorway despite being bigger than several actual M roads nowadays, it leaves a daft gap in the network for sure. The A282 originally opened as a single tunnel with two dual carriageway approaches and got widened progressively as it got absorbed into the London Orbital.
I think the A282 will always be stuck as the A282 now simply because it allows non-motorway traffic to cross the thames at this location. (This includes push bikes technically, although they are prohibited from the tunnel and bridge so you must use the pickup service)
So the A55 was built with the special road powers, but why was it not declared a motorway? Just trying to figure out if there's a class of traffic it allows that it wouldn't otherwise. Some of the access roads along it? No desire to have a motorway technically unconnected from the network?
Some of it being Special is down to British Rail not wanting extra stuff on their former goods yards, which is where the bit in Colwyn Bay was built. There was no desire to make it a motorway.
It has often been said that the A55 remained an A road so that farm machinery can use it. I'm sure you'll tell me that's not true 😅. Thanks for the explanation.
![[Part 1] รักมาไม่ทันตั้งตัว❤ หนุ่มสาวโสดถูกจับมาแต่งงานกันกะทันหัน แถมเธอยังเป็นหัวหน้าของเขา?!](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/y2pOOMkuFI0/mqdefault.jpg)
I loved this one Bryn, thanks for explaining things in detail making it clearer to understand
Fascinating 🤔
This video is fantastic. Great production and flow.
I hope you don't have a headache from that head banging. Excellent explanation as always!
I knew that the UK's roads legislation was a mess but I didn't realise just how big of a mess it actually is. Regarding the A14 at Huntington; I seem to remember that National Highways were going to use Special Roads powers to make it A14(M) but it opened as vanilla A14 using regular TRO's because the legal orders necessary to make the road a motorway disappeared in to a parliamentary black hole.
It was another casualty of "Get Brexit Done" but the idea was a bit naff to begin with. I wrote about it at the time: showmeasign.online/2018/01/02/expressways-and-why-theyre-not-going-to-work/
@@BrynBuck That 3-word slogan has unlocked some old PTSD.😨
Fully qualified Driving Instructors can take learners on Motorways but they can’t go on the A55 due to the special roads act. Isn’t Britain great 🤣🤣
I learnt to drive in Chester and had to take part of my test on the A55. You would fail if you didn't attempt to get up to speed 50mph+ traffic allowing.
Hi thanks for your message, your are absolutely correct with your information. Regards mark
And being hungry wasn't a segue into a Hello Fresh sponsorship section!
To quote Tony Wilson, I'm protected from having to sell out by having nothing to sell out 🤣
I’ve been learning about non-motorway special roads for the past few days, One of the unusual characteristics of all non-motorway Special Roads is that they must have their Speed Limits defined within their Statutory Instruments and signposted explicitly, as the National Speed Limit only applies to all-purpose roads and motorways.
Hi Bryn, I wonder why the A55 at Colwyn Bay is not a motorway, my be it does not meet up with other motorways the junctions are A547, B5105, A546, A470. But I was told at Llandulas where regulations begin is 70 and as you travel under the Rainbow bridge it drops to 50 this was reduced as the on and off slip roads are short and don't meet the standards of a dual carriage way with a 70 limit. When work began on the Colwyn Bay section in 1984 there was no cables , gas, water or electricity under the carriageway this was so the traffic is not diverted through Llandulas, Old Colwyn , Colwyn Bay and Mochdre for road works on services, apart from resurfacing the carriageway. This is the only route through Colwyn Bay as there is no other alternative route for other vehicles may be that is why it not a motorway, I don't know if this is correct just my theory. Great video Bryn Take care
Tractors are allowed on that length of the A55 - if it wasn't for this allowance under the special roads legislation it would indeed be an isolated A55(M).
@@BrynBuck Good point about tractors it not on the restricted sign
Very informative video. Which was the most recent non motorway special road to open?
Wouldn't be surprised if it's the A1077(M)
That's still a motorway (for now).
The most recent is the A90 at Aberdeen I believe.
Very nice videa Bryn... hope you didn't get a massive headache from the banging
Legislation is always straight forward and easy isn’t it? 😆🤦♂️
Very well explained, thank you.
You often see these “no” signs at the entrance to road tunnels - are they covered under the special roads as well or is that different legislation?
That will often be just TROs - the "NO" sign doesn't necessarily mean the road has special status. Yep, welcome to confusion central 😭
A great video!
If I understand this correctly, it would be possible to make a special road devoted solely to pedal cycles?.....
Yes. It wouldn't be a right of way but you could theoretically have a completely access controlled cycle-only special road.
If your bike broke down, would you have to be recovered by a pedal powered recovery vehicle - as you couldn't walk (even pushing a bike) along it ...
@@tomwinch9107 you would presumably have an exemption for emergencies just as you do with motorways but it's an interesting question.
The reality is of course there's very little point to a totally access controlled cycle way even though you can legally make them.
So Hubnuts Invictacar cannot use the A55
Great interesting video, theA2 from Dartford to the M2 is motorway standards , another interesting question is why the Dartford crossing as the A282 not m25 . Regards mark
The A2 was widened online and therefore never converted to motorway despite being bigger than several actual M roads nowadays, it leaves a daft gap in the network for sure.
The A282 originally opened as a single tunnel with two dual carriageway approaches and got widened progressively as it got absorbed into the London Orbital.
@@BrynBuck hi I agree with your findings . Regards mark
I think the A282 will always be stuck as the A282 now simply because it allows non-motorway traffic to cross the thames at this location. (This includes push bikes technically, although they are prohibited from the tunnel and bridge so you must use the pickup service)
Is the A14 a special road ( the new bit around Huntingdon)
Nope, it's just a regular all-purpose A road with a TRO applied to it.
So the A55 was built with the special road powers, but why was it not declared a motorway? Just trying to figure out if there's a class of traffic it allows that it wouldn't otherwise. Some of the access roads along it? No desire to have a motorway technically unconnected from the network?
Some of it being Special is down to British Rail not wanting extra stuff on their former goods yards, which is where the bit in Colwyn Bay was built. There was no desire to make it a motorway.
Tractors! They allowed Class IV to use it, including through the Conwy Tunnel.
@@BrynBuck thank you! I was struggling to figure out the "everything else" class
It has often been said that the A55 remained an A road so that farm machinery can use it. I'm sure you'll tell me that's not true 😅. Thanks for the explanation.
It's pretty much true.
My brain hurts😊
Oof!