UK Government to consult on speed limits

Interesting that modern cars are now considered so safe that our government is going to consult on increasing the speed limit on motorways to 80mph. But they will also be seeking views on making town speed limits 20mph................. I have no objection to that, living in a village that hardly sees a day go by when there isn't a speeding related incident. I do object to speed limits on motorways going up though - it should be conditional on ruthless enforcement by average speed cameras and distance cameras that can measure the distance between cars. I don't mind speed on the motorways, but it's the idiots often who sit right on your tail just because you won't do the 100+mph they want to do. Maybe it should also be mandatory for all drivers to take a motorway driving course before they are allowed loose on the general roads

Discuss.................

Tim,there are far less incidents in Germany with no speed restrictions so I think over time the UK would benefit.

@drrv - IMO, unfortunately the majority of British drivers have the wrong mental attitude to driving to make it work in the same style as the continent.

Actually germany does have speed limits on their motorways. There is an advisory maximum of 130kph on some stretches but there are also many many kms of 100kph and 120kph limited sections. As CJFP says, it isn't always the cars in the UK (although I do see many that look like they never get through an MOT................) it's the idiots driving them that are the problem. Maybe we should also adopt the annual TUV tests here instead to the totally inadequate MOT as well - that would get rid of a huge number of mobile wrecks we see on our roads.

It's all about the road conditions.

The variables are:

the road design, eg junctions and bends, The M6 through Birmingham is completely different to the m40 in Oxford or the m6 near Shap.

The traffic

The weather

Get the right mix (not very often) and there's no need for a limit, chances are though the road will find its own level.
My biggest concern is speed differential for different vehicles, lorries are going slower to save fuel 52 -56, this puts the 60 mph brigade in the centre lane which means slower traffic in the outside Kane

Personally I can live with an increase in motorway limits but would echo some of the sentiments regarding conditions such as rain, strong winds and icy roads. My own view is that careless driving or worse is responsible for the overwhelming majority of accidents.

In my former job I was legally allowed to drive motor cars at speeds which in themselves could seem excessive to some. However, whenever I did this I genuinely heightened my concentration and looked for potential hazards into the far distance. I'm not suggesting that this should be the norm but I'm sure that we all know of roads that could safely allow an increase. What we need to go hand in hand with this however, is for those careless, inconsiderate or plain reckless drivers to be dealt with and allowed to improve their skills.

The UK actually has some of the safest roads in terms of Road Traffic Accident-related deaths - or so I was told on a recent driver awareness course.

@simonc - caught on 'The Avenue' by any chance?

(29-09-2011 07:14pm)cjfp Wrote:  @simonc - caught on 'The Avenue' by any chance?

Bitterne Road West actually - sneaky mobile unit!

The problem with speed limits is they a enforceable 24hours a day, 70mph at 2am on an empty motorway is painfully slow and boring, but at 5pm it's probably too fast. Maybe we should have an upper 80mph limit but with a variable speed limit either through times of day, or traffic detection to reduce it when necessary like on a number of motorways now but with the 80mph limit...