May some speedometers disappear?

More about these amendments were told by their initiators by members of the Seimas Andrius Bagdonas and Viktoras Fedorov.

– Do you like speed?

A. Bagdonas: We do not like speed, we drive as provided for in the Road Traffic Code, but it is obvious that the amount of speed meters and growth rates in Lithuania was surprised by the last term. At the end of last year, the National Audit Office found that Via Lietuva did not follow its own procedure and that every third speedometer in Lithuania was installed in violation of the order. Therefore, we and my colleague registered the bill.

The parliament at the entry stage agreed that the Ministry of Transport and Communications, entrusted to everyone, would be very clear to everyone. Our points you have listed are intended to avoid abuse of future abuse, there is a procedure prepared by Via Lietuvos, which they did not follow. If one or another institution did not comply, it would violate the law.

– What did you mean did not follow the order?

V. Fedorov: Much more than it should have appeared. The National Audit Office said that 30 seats out of 100 they stood up where they should not be, did not follow the order. Police like when they follow certain laws, drive at a set speed, and other traffic rules are complied with. Equally, the speed meters must be followed by the procedures.

Photo by A. Ufarto / ELTA

– But there is a permissible speed everywhere, all the roads, including Via Baltica. Why may the gauge be built not to meet the requirements? It still measures speed and captures offenders that exceed speed.

V. Fedorov: First of all, the thought of the speedometer itself is to keep the traffic safe, unpunished, at least that should be. If all the tools that are installed – good asphalt, dividing tapes, lighting, enclosures and all other things – are done and, if the accidents were, then build a speedometer. This is the last measure that should protect people when limiting speed.

I can justify a speedometer that is on the viaduct, on the bridge over the Kruna. Construction is currently underway, it will be demolished, there is a speedometer. The speed of the motorway where there is a dangerous location can limit speed. But if the speed meter was planned to be placed on the highway for 30 kilometers to measure the average speed and there was never any car accident, explain what procedures could the meter be built there?

V. Fedorov: He didn’t even build it.

– But what would it interfere with? You say there are order, so what are they interfering, why are there too many?

A. Bagdonas: Everything is very simple, Via Lietuva, who has become a public limited company, seeks a profit, sets itself in order and is not even in places where traffic accidents occur. No traffic accidents and speedometer are parked for 2-3 years. I agree with you, speedometers do not interfere, but they cost the state money every year.

The administration of one such gauge costs between 1000 and 1500 euros. If we look at more than 200 speedometers in Lithuania, it means that several hundred thousand euros are paid to a company that administers them every year, instead of managing roads, more investment in roads.

Photo by A. Ufarto / ELTA

– But how can it happen that those gauges could have been built wherever you want? What regulates such things?

V. Fedorov: Now the law allows the road owner to build where he wants, according to his own order. Our bill does not say that they must not be left. We say that the road owner must follow a certain order determined by the minister or the authority authorized by the Minister.

Basically, nothing changes, the owner works his work in accordance with certain procedures. After all, there cannot be asphalt the thickness you want, not to be a pedestrian crossing, even though it should be there. The same is the same with several speedometers, it must be as required by law.

– Police say that decreasing speed gauge quantities can worsen the situation, raise accidents, and encourage drivers to exceed speed. In this case, the police do not see certain nuances? How would you react?

V. Fedorov: The police respond differently on different topics. We have other topics where the police say there is no need to carry out criminal intelligence, for example. The same is here, money is in the state as much as they are. If we build speedometers where you don’t need them, let’s build where they need them.

There are entrances to towns where speed is limited, but there are cars and no speedometers, and the most dangerous stretch and really traffic accidents. We are not saying that they will be reduced, and we say that certain regulation will occur in ensuring road safety.

– We are not just talking about the highway. Do you say that speedometers should be moved somewhere else – to cities, settlements?

V. Fedorov: There are practically not so many on the motorways, as they are now calculating and measuring insurance, road tax and other things. Here was a language and a whole draft law on the last term at the time when the Road Administration was planning to make a big purchase, and the then Road Administration suspended, seeing some kind of fuss. Now, in order to avoid such debate and that something will not run out of sight, let us pass a law, which would be clear regulation and road owners, whether you are a municipality or Via Lietuva, would have the same regulation for everyone.

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– So who should decide where to build a speedometer?

A. Bagdonas: Via Lietuva was confirmed in good order, but she herself, according to the National Audit Office, did not follow the order. If the procedure provides for a 10 km of distance can stand for medium speed gauges, it would have installed 30 km. They themselves did not follow that order. We really agree with the police that speedometers must be in the accidental sections. Where a traffic accident occurs for several years or another. If there are no traffic accidents, they should not be installed there.

And there would be another innovation if this bill was finally adopted. There would also be warning signs in front of each tripod. The main goal is to warn the driver that there is an emergency stretch, not the goal of any cost to punish the driver. The goal is to warn drivers about the accidental stretch. Do not exceed speed if you exceed, you will have to pay a fine.

– And elsewhere you can exceed because there is not an emergency stretch? Don’t but still go?

V. Fedorov: Our bill is not talking that you can exceed speed. He says that we have the money we have as much as we have, let’s ensure the safety of the road, and only then let’s move on to fines for those who exceed speed.

A. Bagdonas: There is a total money for road repairs. The more speedometers were installed in Lithuania, disproportionately, compared to other neighboring countries, the funding for road conditions was significantly lower.

V. Fedorov: Palanga bypass needs a normal crossing, security islets. You can’t find the time to make a project, nor build and spend money.