Re: Keeping the Natural landscape at Avebury | Forum

Avebury & the Marlborough Downs 64

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Keeping the Natural landscape at Avebury

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tjj Dec 3, 2007 22:09:41

Replying to Paulus

You seem to to know the right people at the moment Paulus - I hesitate to say anything on this subject as my mode of transport to Avebury is the number 49 bus - but how about a 20 mile an hour speed limit through the village and similar speed restrictions on the stretch of road by WKLB and Silbury Hill (I don't know what the current speed limit is along there).

The very first time I ever visited (back in the last century) was on a pagan's day out organised by some people at Scoob Books (at that time located by the British Museum) - I wasn't pagan but there was a spare seat going on the coach. I didn't quite get as far as the long-barrow as, thinking I was in the middle of the country-side, I came within a hair's breath of being flattened by a speeding car. Quickly scurried back to the safety of the pub - little knowing at the time how much life would change and that I would be living relatively close to Avebury in the future.

The bloody traffic still moves way too fast given there are so many walking around people in the area.

Pete G Dec 4, 2007 01:28:31

Replying to tjj

tjj wrote:

but how about a 20 mile an hour speed limit through the village and similar speed restrictions on the stretch of road by WKLB and Silbury Hill (I don't know what the current speed limit is along there).

locals have trying to get the speed limits to change for years.
60mph from Swindon right up to the northern entrance then its 30 though the circle.
60 along the kennet ave and also 60 from trusloe to Beckhampton.
The county council says that 3 people have to be killed on the same bit of road before the speed limit is revued.
At Winterboutne Monkton JP erected a lifesize cardboard policeman and put it in his garden to slow people down before they entered Avebury. That slowed the traffic for a while but he was made to take it down by the council.

In the last 6 years I have seen 4 dead bodies near Silbaby where the road goes over waden hill after a police chase with some joyriders ended in the car overturning.
2 people were killed when an american couple who had visited WKLB pulled away from the layby on the wrong side of the road and hit a car coming over the hill.
2 bikers on biker night (Wednesdays) raced each other past Silbury one evening and hit a lorry head on. Both died.
At Beckhampton roundabout a speeding car hit a local Dr's daughter and killed her outright (she was just 18)
and 18 year old 'halfpint' from Berwick hit a tree and died instantly coming back from Marlborough one night in 2004.

The NT say they want Avebury to be totaly car free within 50 years (if we still have any petrol left by then.)

If the locals can't get anything to change what chance anyone else?
PeteG