Caught out by speed limit change

ARE you aware of the new part-time and temporary change in the speed restriction by the Storey Arms in Powys on the A470 Cardiff to Brecon?

I have observed that when there are many visitors to Pen y Fan and the surrounding area and scores of vehicles are parked on the verges, the authorities change the speed restriction from 50mph to 30mph without any obvious notice or warning by simply flipping the 50mph sign to 30mph.

At 8.20 on a Saturday morning in July, I was travelling towards Brecon at exactly 50mph (set on my cruise control) in case I did unintentionally exceed the 50mph. The following week I received a Notice of Intended Prosecution for exceeding the new temporary and part-time restriction which surprisingly was 30mph, although this is obviously not a builtup area.

I have travelled along this section of road hundreds of times in the past 50 years and I have never been aware of a 30mph speed restriction.

I have intentionally visited the Storey Arms sight recently and as far as I can observe there is no advance notice or warning that it is a variable speed section.

I have been told the 50mph signs are flipped over to 30mph at the weekends when the visitor numbers are high. Cars parked on the verges make it difficult to spot the 30mph temporary restriction as the signs are not high enough to be above some of the vehicles.

I am surprised and very disappointed that the relevant authorities have not considered erecting a clear and obvious warning sign that this short section of road has recently been designated as a variable-speed section of road when visitor numbers are high and very many vehicles are parked on the verges.

Should I plead guilty and accept a fine of around half of my retired person’s income and probably three points on my licence?

It would be very interesting to know if any of your readers have also been prosecuted in this section of road when visitor numbers are at a peak.

Gwilym Wyn

Penylan, Caerdydd