You may have seen that there’s been a discussion on the news as to whether the national speed limit should be raised to 80 miles per hour for motorways. Most people I’ve spoken to have been in agreement with this idea as many already drive (somewhat) higher than the current 70 miles per hour limit. I like the idea of getting to where I should be that little bit quicker. To provide a different perspective, here’s comment from GEM Motoring Assist:
GEM’s CEO, David Williams commented “I simply cannot understand this. From a road safety perspective we believe it would be a disaster. There are very obvious road safety implications including drivers having less time to react at higher speeds. Given the road safety record is currently heading in the wrong direction, this alone is a good enough reason not to raise the limit. Then there’s the environmental aspect. An increase in speed will have a huge influence on our fuel consumption and emissions.”
“Even from a breakdown perspective there’s a massive impact. It’s terrifying enough to be broken down on a Motorway with cars going at 70 miles an hour next to you, imagine them all travelling almost 15% faster? We would have concerns not only for the broken down motorist and their passenger(s), but also the mechanics in attendance.”
David Williams continued: “To say an increase will improve the economy is frankly ridiculous – unless of course they are looking at the duty they will receive in revenue from the increased use of fuel? It seems this move is being made to deflect the real issues that cause delays in journeys such as road works and potholes. GEM feels this is where the government should start if they want to look at the area of transport as a means of improving the economy.”
So, what’s your take on the possibility of raising the speed limit? Is it a good idea or does it pose genuine safety risks? As always, we’re open for comments.
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