A27 Census

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

This created absolute carnage yesterday evening as they cut the A27 down to 1 lane. The census is continue for another 2 weeks and will pop up, unannounced, at destinations along the A27. Can we help fellow NCS users and post the location day by day? It took me an hour yesterday to get from the Hangleton Interchange to the Shoreham exit, I'm sure nobody else wants to get caught in this mess.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

It's utterly ridiculous that with today's technology - ANPR and those wires across the road - that they have to stop the traffic. I'd refuse to give any info if they stopped me. If everyone did that then they would stop this daft idea.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

What's a census watch? Why do they stop traffic?

 

[brightonrock]

This created absolute carnage yesterday evening as they cut the A27 down to 1 lane. The census is continue for another 2 weeks and will pop up, unannounced, at destinations along the A27. Can we help fellow NCS users and post the location day by day? It took me an hour yesterday to get from the Hangleton Interchange to the Shoreham exit, I'm sure nobody else wants to get caught in this mess.

It was horrendous yesterday morning too - I left Brighton at 7.15 to try and get to work in Worthing for 8, and they were on the 27 westbound at the sompting leisure centre roundabout. Got to work for 8.40. Brilliant. Apparently they "understand it may cause some disruption" but need to do it in rush hour to "collect the best data". Presumably their data is that lots of drivers in sussex are unexpectedly angry, telling them to Fark Orf and that the best way to improve the roads is to remove the cones and stop asking stupid questions during rush hour.

 

[backson]

It'd be interesting to see what kind of properly thought through, measured responses they had from people who'd been sitting in traffic for over an hour. I went from A23 to Shoreham in about 45 minutes, and by then I'd have been willing to let them tarmac my grandmothers grave if it meant I could get home quicker.

 

[mune ni kamome]

Probably killed a few people with heart attacks in those frustrating queues. I tried to hop from the coast road at Southwick up to the A27 at Holmbush but to no avail. Queues on all routes

 

[Theatre of Trees]

It was horrendous yesterday morning too - I left Brighton at 7.15 to try and get to work in Worthing for 8, and they were on the 27 westbound at the sompting leisure centre roundabout. Got to work for 8.40. Brilliant. Apparently they "understand it may cause some disruption" but need to do it in rush hour to "collect the best data". Presumably their data is that lots of drivers in sussex are unexpectedly angry, telling them to Fark Orf and that the best way to improve the roads is to remove the cones and stop asking stupid questions during rush hour.

I left Brighton at 7.30 to get to Littlehampton by 8.20 and was only delayed by about 20 minutes, though the advantage of the queues on the Shoreham flyover meant there were next to none at Lyons Farm, Grove Lodge or Offington Roundabout. Don't think I've ever got through Worthing quicker at rush hour.

 

[Chinman3000]

What is this actually for? Are they checking road legality of vehicles or asking general public 'Census' type questions?

 

[studio150]

What is this actually for? Are they checking road legality of vehicles or asking general public 'Census' type questions?

Usually asking where going to and from and reason for trip. The best answer is just to say you drove out so that you could take part in the census

 

[Thunder Bolt]

What is this actually for? Are they checking road legality of vehicles or asking general public 'Census' type questions?

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/13352720.Definition_of_madness__A_rush_hour_traffic_census/

The Highways Agency said it was gathering data ahead of the government’s pledge to transform the A27 with a £350 million investment to the Worthing/Sompting/Lancing stretch of the road, with the option of a full dual carriageway the favoured solution.

The sooner the better imo. Handcross Hill was a mess until it got funding to improve, but now it's a doddle to drive through. The A27 should be dual carriageway complete with slip roads, if not a motorway all the way through, imo.

 

[yxee]

Numberplate recognition cameras ---> randomly sample 1,000 plates in a specified time period ---> send questionnaire with prepaid envelope to registered addresses.

Total cost and hassle? A hell of a lot less.

 

[Official Old Man]

I see the NPRC in the lay-by on the A27 west bound past the Lewes roundabout. There couple of times a week with a sign something like 'Tax Avoidance' seemingly checking we all tax our cars. So they have the info collected in that vehicle of our number plate thus our name address and email, why not send out an email or letter to the people driving by?

 

[ofco8]

I was stopped on the Bognor to Littlehampton Road on Wednesday afternoon.

When they asked how often I used that stretch and I replied about 3 times a year, they were not interested.

However, am somewhat concerned that I have subsequently realised that I have given my details to a private company, and not the police who were running the show.

 

[Gwylan]

Don't get the annoyance about this. Surely it's better that the road is surveyed at peak time as that would have the maximum amount of traffic on it. Should they do the survey at 1.00 in the morning and base decisions on that?

 

[Barry Izbak]

Don't get the annoyance about this. Surely it's better that the road is surveyed at peak time as that would have the maximum amount of traffic on it. Should they do the survey at 1.00 in the morning and base decisions on that?

Had you actually been stuck in that huge traffic jam, trying to get somewhere by a certain time, I guarantee you would understand why it was such a scandalous waste of time.

I got through westbound without problems at 06.45, but didn't expect them still to be there 12 hours later.

Returning at 18.45 the queue started at the census layby and stretched two and three lanes of stationary traffic all the way back to Patcham. people on the radio this morning with stories of being stuck for over an hour. No restrictions on allowing these poor people from joining the chaos. All the slip roads off to Portslade, Shoreham etc jammed too.

As others have said; ANPR can track my car its whole journey. Cameras can tell how many people are in the car. And if they want to know why I am travelled they can whistle.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

The reason a census is thought to be worthwhile is that it gets information about the origins and destinations of road users.

BUT ... when I worked for the local highway authority, a colleague won a prize for inventing an alternative approach that used number plate recording to get good results without the need to stop traffic. These days, we have ANPR technology which can do the job much more accurately.

With a bit of intelligence, I'm sure a better way can be found.

Incidentally, I once supervised a roadside census that was preparing the data to justify the Winchelsea by-pass. One of the irritated drivers we stopped was none other than the legendary Paul McCartney.

 

[Barry Izbak]

Incidentally, I once supervised a roadside census that was preparing the data to justify the Winchelsea by-pass. One of the irritated drivers we stopped was none other than the legendary Paul McCartney.

Did he tell you to GET BACK to the office?

 

[gregbrighton]

Did Macca sing "Lovely Rita meter maid" at you?

 

[The Spanish]

Did he tell you to GET BACK to the office?

Or did you tell him about the census, it won't be long?

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Did he tell you to GET BACK to the office?

My relationship with Mr McCartney was somewhat strained. I once wrote to him after his kids had been found travelling on the school bus without a TICKET TO RIDE.