Should motorway speed limit be increased to 80mph?
Poll: Should motorway speed limit be increased to 80mph?
Total Members Polled: 284
Discussion
I've long thought the motorway speed limit needs to go up to 80, for several reasons
1) the limit was set many many years ago when 70mph was an impossible dream for most
2) 80mph would reduce journey times and increase productivity
3)Make it weather dependent like it is on the continent, so 70mph for rain, poor visibility , possibly even 60 and then up to 80 when clear and dry
unworkable do we think? not on message enough tor the Net Zero fantasy?
1) the limit was set many many years ago when 70mph was an impossible dream for most
2) 80mph would reduce journey times and increase productivity
3)Make it weather dependent like it is on the continent, so 70mph for rain, poor visibility , possibly even 60 and then up to 80 when clear and dry
unworkable do we think? not on message enough tor the Net Zero fantasy?
I live in Oxfordshire, where the County Council's attitude is "speed is evil" It's worse than Wales for silly 20 mph limits. Getting past the Speed Kills brigade is going to be tricky, especially with the tree huggers pushing for lower limits in urban areas for noise & emissions.
I do agree that it would be safe enough - 80 is a default speed on many of the less congested motorways now.
Good luck with this
I do agree that it would be safe enough - 80 is a default speed on many of the less congested motorways now.
Good luck with this
gazza285 said:
Doesn’t save that much time, only twelve minutes quicker from London to Birmingham, hardly a massive boost in productivity.
This of course assumes that you can manage the motorway sections without impediment.
But how many people travel from London to Birmingham and Birmingham to London every day. At 12 minutes per person, for every 1,000 people, assuming an 8 hour working day, that’s an extra 25 working days. This of course assumes that you can manage the motorway sections without impediment.
I have no idea how many people make the journey each day but it’s certainly many thousands which equals hundreds of extra working days gained just by everyone getting there quicker.
Sounds worth doing to me!
And yes, I know there are hundreds of variables so I will save you all the trouble of replying with some of them.
I'd settle for it consistently being 70 for a whole journey.
It wouldn't turn an 80 minute journey into a 70 minute journey, real journey times are dominated by the slowest bit and the fraction of the journey where you're not at cruising speed.
Being the kind of person who likes things to be accurate, I'd be happy if speedos actually read the right speed and the 'virtual' +10% limits were replaced by actual limits with tighter tolerances. If 30 meant 30, we wouldn't need 20 limits.At the moment, I cruise on the motorway at an indicated 80, which is actually about 75 or 76. Most of the cars which pass me, and there seem to be not many these days, are doing well over 80.
One of the reasons it's not going to happen is that they just keep building housing estates really close to motorways and major dual carriageways.
Also, there's a big difference between the empty stretches of the M5, where there's 15 miles between junctions, and the more hectic motorways with junctions close together. I wouldn't fancy the M25 if the limit was '80 meaning 90'.
It wouldn't turn an 80 minute journey into a 70 minute journey, real journey times are dominated by the slowest bit and the fraction of the journey where you're not at cruising speed.
Being the kind of person who likes things to be accurate, I'd be happy if speedos actually read the right speed and the 'virtual' +10% limits were replaced by actual limits with tighter tolerances. If 30 meant 30, we wouldn't need 20 limits.At the moment, I cruise on the motorway at an indicated 80, which is actually about 75 or 76. Most of the cars which pass me, and there seem to be not many these days, are doing well over 80.
One of the reasons it's not going to happen is that they just keep building housing estates really close to motorways and major dual carriageways.
Also, there's a big difference between the empty stretches of the M5, where there's 15 miles between junctions, and the more hectic motorways with junctions close together. I wouldn't fancy the M25 if the limit was '80 meaning 90'.
gazza285 said:
Doesn’t save that much time, only twelve minutes quicker from London to Birmingham, hardly a massive boost in productivity.
This of course assumes that you can manage the motorway sections without impediment.
2hrs on the annual ski trip, definitely worth it over longer distances.This of course assumes that you can manage the motorway sections without impediment.
I think the current set up is ok.
There’s too many idiots on the road that 80mph would result in accidents in bad weather.
Only instances where I’d consider it a sensible recommendation are motorways with lower traffic volumes such as M50.
Or smart motorways with variable speed limit. If it’s 2am and the road condition is fine set it to 80mph. At least people can make progress in a “controlled environment”
There’s too many idiots on the road that 80mph would result in accidents in bad weather.
Only instances where I’d consider it a sensible recommendation are motorways with lower traffic volumes such as M50.
Or smart motorways with variable speed limit. If it’s 2am and the road condition is fine set it to 80mph. At least people can make progress in a “controlled environment”
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff