Should The Motorway Speed Limit Be Raised To 80mph?
At the dawn of the UK’s motorway network, there wasn’t a speed limit at all. That ended in 1965 as 70mph speed limits were introduced, but over 50 years have passed, so is it time for an update?
Improvements in crash safety, brake technology and even road technology since then have been massive, so it’s no surprise that the idea of an increase in speed limit has been raised by both campaigners and members of parliament in recent years. It’s even been discussed in the House of Commons, but proposals have never been given the go-ahead.
Upping the speed limit would mean quicker journey times and this will benefit the economy, not to mention making long trips less frustrating and slipways more entertaining…
Thanks to new ‘smart’ motorways with variable speed limits it’d be easy to introduce 80mph limits in test areas, or even roll out a higher speed limit on all newer sections of motorway, leaving older, less safe parts at 70mph.
On the other hand, bumping up the speed limit could still lead to an increase in accidents, even if the 315 foot 70-0mph braking distance given by the Highway Code is rather generous (with most modern cars, you’re looking at around half that). You’d get a substantial increase in emissions across the motorway network, too.
So with these things in mind, what’s your opinion? Get voting!
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
70 is waay to slow. Especially when you have speedcam on every few miles.
In my country it’s 90 (140kmph).
Almost everywhere in Europe the speed limit is 130kph while in Uk it is 112. I feel with you guys that is incredibly slow and boring.
Yeah, how lame, no ?
Here in India we have 70-80 KMPH on expressways. Beat that you shmucks. :p
Changing the speed limit won’t make any difference, enforcing lane discipline is the key to making our motorways safer and less congested.
Last time I drove in England everyone seams to be doing 70+ on the motorway so upping the speed limit would mean less people getting stopped for speeding
not really, they would just do 80+ then. I live in Germany and its the same here. If the speed limit is 130km/h they drive 140-150km/h if its 70km/h they drive 80-90km/h
Actually, in Czech Republic, here’s 130km/h Speed Limit, but on highways.. So I guess, motorway is the same, so, you’re slow, UK!
And also bring in a new minimum speed limit of 60mph for all cars to many arseholes drive to slow causing accidents and delays!!
The issue isn’t the speed limit, the issue is the drivers! A lot of people simply don’t know how to use the motorways. Traffic is flowing 70mph, a car will try to overtake going 71mph then creates a massive line of cars behind him because that car doesn’t want to exceed the speed limit but wants to overtake.
Then there’s the middle lane hogger, and then there’s people who drive slightly faster than 70 which they think is ok because they can speed, but as soon as they have someone faster up their back, they think it’s funny to be a male genital and take their time, inducing road rage.
Don’t even get me started on people who swerve between lanes without looking or indicating or just assume that as soon as they indicate, they can just move over.
I’m all for a higher speed limit, but we have to educate people on how to use the motorways.
Until that happens, I don’t think it’s particularly safe for these people to drive like that any faster.
Like Germany, if anyone is faster you just simply move out of their way.
I’m not going to lie, I speed on the motorway but if anyone wants to go faster than me, I simply pull in and let them pass, I’m happy, they’re happy.
But at the end of the day, it’s just about driving to the conditions… More traffic, you drive slower. Less traffic, you can drive quicker.
It would be an excellent idea to increase the speed limit with variable speed limits!
Yes… the inferior speed limit
Yes. I want to be able to legally hit 88 mph (including 10% difference taken into account).
Because BTTF