Proposed 80mph Speed Limit

It has been announced by the Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond, that a consultation is to take place to raise the national speed limit to 80mph. A full public consultation will take place by the end of this year and any recommendations will be implemented by the year 2013.

70mph was set as the national speed limit back in 1965 and the argument in favour of the increase, claims that vehicle safety has changed dramatically over the last 45 years and the increase will contribute to reduced travel times improving the economic climate by hundreds of millions of pounds.

Another advantage, it is claimed, is the change would bring the 49% of motorway drivers who regularly break the existing speed limit within the boundaries of the law. Perhaps that argument is a good reason to increase the mostly unnecessary 20mph zones so loved by local councils back to 30mph, but that is another issue!

Increasing the speed limit flies in the face of those arguing that increased fuel consumption as a result of this proposed change will further damage the environment. Crashes at 70mph are bad enough and higher speeds will inevitably lead to an increase in road fatalities.

The only reason so many drivers regularly break the existing speed limit of 70mph is lack of policing. Perhaps the better option might be to leave things as they are. Those wishing to risk a fine know the choices, but a sensible restriction bound by law will hopefully discourage further excesses. Increase the speed limit to 80mph and drivers will see this as a green flag to break that as well.

Don’t forget there is an allowance of 10% plus 2mph anyway to allow for any discrepancies from speedometer to actual speed, so drivers don’t get convictions up to 79mph anyway!