The unclassified Belmont Way in Stockport, part of the town's half ring road which describes a loop to the east of the A6. This road, built in the late 70s or early 80s, and scything through a dense inner-urban area, was designed for 40 mph, with no immediately adjoining building frontages, and is designated as an "Urban Clearway". Nowadays they would not hesitate to give such a road a 30 limit, and its survival is surprising in Stockport which has reduced many rural main roads to 30. Regrattably, this was reduced to 30 in 2007.

Another view of Belmont Way, showing a 40 repeater and clearway sign in an urban environment. This repeater has in fact disappeared since the photo was taken in Spring 2002.

A 40 mph limit on the A6017 Stockport Road in Denton, Tameside (taken April 2002). This road is continuously built up for about half a mile past this point. The right-hand speed limit sign is missing, meaning that the 30 limit on the photographer's side of the boundary is unenforceable. For once, there is in fact a speed camera within half a mile of the camera sign! Less than five miles from this location Tameside has a 30 limit on a non built-up rural A-road. Also a good example of the blight of central hatching - all in all a very illuminating picture. This was reduced to 30 in 2007 - I suppose it had a good innings!

A surprising section of NSL on the A6 in Over Hulton, near Bolton, which was still there in early 2005. The photograph slightly exaggerates the built-up nature of the road, but even so 40 mph would be a more appropriate limit at this location. (courtesy of www.speedcam.co.uk )

A similar built-up NSL on the B6527 at Ewood Bridge, Rossendale. This road was downgraded from the A680 in 1971 when the Edenfield Bypass was opened and presumably has been ignored ever since - although the dotted edge lines look more recent.

Another NSL of built-up appearance on the A56 at Broomedge, near Lymm in Cheshire. In fact this is only a small cluster of development around a rural crossroads and in the circumstances isn't unreasonable.

A view of the same crossroads from the road to the left on the previous picture.

The centre of the village of Great Budworth in Cheshire. See here for a location map. Although the maximum safe speed in this location is little more than walking pace, the posted speed limit is actually National Speed Limit Applies (60 mph). Presumably - and sensibly - the highway authority take the view that erecting 30 signs would actually encourage inappropriate speed.

Another view in Great Budworth. It would not be safe to do much more than 15 mph in second gear down here, so a posted 30 limit would do nothing for safety

A small residential close off a rural B-road at Tabley, near Knutsford in Cheshire. In the absence of a speed limit sign, in theory the speed limit along here is 60 mph, although in practice nobody is likely to exceed 30