At the start of 2022 a change was made to the procedures used by volunteers operating LLRA’s Speed Indicator Device (SID) on Long Leys Road and in the West End. This has provided some helpful insights into the impact SID has on driver behaviour as well as making it easier to analyse longer term data. Both a summary and the detailed data is presented below.
Summary
SID encourages around 6% of all drivers to change from speeding to driving within the speed limit.
- Hampton Street in the West End – by St Faith & St Martin Junior School
- 82% of drivers within the 20mph speed limit coming off Yarborough Road rather than 76%.
- Long Leys Road – opposite the main entrance to St. George’s hospital
- 91% of drivers within the 30mph speed limit inbound Lincoln rather than 85%.
In 2022 Long Leys traffic volumes are DOWN around 16% on levels seen in 2019 (pre-COVID). Morning and evening commuter peaks are much reduced.
Change Made to SID Operations
You might have thought SID was not working when you drove past it recently and it didn’t flash up your speed. However, when SID moves to a location it is now usually switched to “data capture only” mode to capture a full week of baseline data before it starts to display vehicle speeds and influence driver behaviour.
When in data capture mode SID’s batteries can reliably last more than a week, making data analysis much easier. Of course SID does need regular battery changes. They last less than a week when the display is active on a high traffic volume route like Long Leys Road and somewhat longer on a lower volume route like Hampton Street. LLRA is currently exploring whether either a solar panel or street lighting circuit option can be installed at well-used SID locations. That would save SID volunteer time by avoiding having to climb a ladder to change the batteries every few days.
PS. If you would like to assist as a SID volunteer then please email LLRA@long-leys.org.
See below for detailed analysis.
Hampton Street – by St Faith & St Martin Junior School
LLRA wishes to thank BT for giving permission for use of their post by St Faith & St Martin Junior School. SID was moved there for the first time in March 2022, displaying speeds to vehicles pulling off Yarborough Road. The objectives at the new Hampton Street site:
- Reminding drivers as they enter the West End that the area has a 20mph limit. Hampton Street is frequently used by drivers as a cut through from Yarborough Road to Carholme Road.
- Slowing traffic past the Junior school. Vehicles can quickly start to accelerate here as the road has a significant slope on it.
Hampton Street Results – From Yarborough Road – Display

FIGURE 1 above shows that 2,300 vehicles per week typically pass the school coming off Yarborough Road (annualised 121,000 per year). Without SID displaying speeds 75.6% of drivers kept to the 20mph limit.
With SID active this rose to over 82%. In addition, those driving above 27mph fell from 47 drivers per week to 33 drivers/week (8-14 March) and then 28 drivers/week (15-22 March). Some of the drivers reducing speed would hopefully also remember the rest of the West End has a 20mph limit as they pass through it.
Hampton Street Results – To Yarborough Road – Non Display

FIGURE 2 above shows 644 drivers per week typically drive past the school heading uphill to Yarborough Road (annualised 33,000 per year). The uphill Hampton Street route is significantly less popular than the downhill one (a slight caution to these figures: SID only captures vehicles driving above 9mph). Even without drivers seeing a display the percentage keeping to the 20mph speed limit crept up about 2%. Likewise, the volume of those driving above 27mph fell from 16 per week to 7 per week (15-22 March). This might indicate that some drivers were slightly changing their West End driving speeds, or maybe they now associate the school location with driving more attentively.
Long Leys Road – By Hospital
Long Leys Road Results – Inbound Lincoln – Display

FIGURE 3 above shows around 16,500 vehicles per week (annualised 858,000 per year) use Long Leys Road inbound Lincoln. SID data (excluding the easter week) shows an uplift to 90.6% of drivers keeping within the speed limit from 84.4%. The number of drivers above enforcement limit (36mph) fell from 495 /week to 298 / week. However, that is still 1.7 vehicles per hour driving above a level where penalty points could result. In comparison the police speed van typically catches only 2 or 3 per day when it is in Long Leys. Reducing average vehicle speeds generally can save lives.
Long Leys Road Results – Outbound Lincoln – Non Display

FIGURE 4 above shows around 18,400 vehicles per week (annualised 956,000 per year) use Long Leys Road outbound Lincoln. Unlike at Hampton Street, SID does not appear to have made a difference in its “non-displaying” direction. Long Leys Road has always had greater use as an exit route from the city (rather than an entrance). As people feel they are getting closer to the open road they do tend to drive faster. Around 800 drivers a week drive above enforcement speed. Ideally the hospital location for SID would be used to display speeds of those going outbound Lincoln to slow traffic past Cloverleaf but this would require the LCC installed 70mm post to be moved – the priority at the moment is to get another post located on West Parade.
Hourly Traffic Volumes – Long Leys Road

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FIGURE 5 above gives an hour by hour comparison of weekdays in April 2022 compared with weekdays in September 2019. It shows vehicle volumes in both directions. Whilst just a snapshot, it is broadly representative of other data collected by LLRA. Long Leys Road typically gets around 400 cars per hour between 6am – 6pm on weekdays, with rush hour peaks around 8-9am (mainly inbound Lincoln) and 4-6pm (manly outbound Lincoln). The 2022 figures show a big contrast with 2019 on the rush hour peaks, which have flattened considerably. Traffic volume overall, including weekends, is down 16% from 2019. Two factors that could possibly explain the fall are:
- COVID impact – some city and county council workers are still working from home so are not part of the daily commute.
- Eastern bypass opening – this may have made it less attractive for drivers to divert through Long Leys as alternative routes through the city, such as Yarborough Road, are less busy.
It will probably be 2023 before a better judgement can be formed on the impact of the Eastern bypass for Long Leys (if any) and what “normal” levels of Long Leys traffic are. As a comparison with 2019 levels:
- 2020: Down 60% on 2019 levels during COVID lockdowns
- 2021: Down 28% on 2019 levels (April 2021)
- 2022: Down 16% on 2019 levels (April 2022)
The hourly data will be particularly helpful for assessing the impact of future developments such as the Long Leys Village Centre project.
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