Motorway Speed Crackdown Plan

[Frances999]

The Government is reportedly set to crack down on speeding motorway drivers in a bid to curb the country's greenhouse gases.

According to a report in The Guardian, officials have acknowledged that any move to force the millions of motorists who currently break the 70mph speed limit to slow down would be "politically sensitive".

But they say it would cut significant amounts of carbon dioxide pollution, as engine efficiency falls quickly beyond 70mph.

The proposal is one of dozens of new measures outlined in a confidential government review of its policies to tackle climate change.

The review was ordered in September 2004 because ministers were struggling to meet their pledge to cut UK emissions of carbon dioxide by 20 per cent by 2010, a commitment restated in this year's Labour election manifesto.

It was drawn up Environment Minister Elliot Morley, who is in charge of climate change at the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

What does everyone think to this idea? Personally, I think it is ridiculous. I doubt that this will help reduce emmisions by the amount they are expecting and the majority of motorway accidents are not speed related. The 70 MPH limit has always been controversial, and too low in my opinion. Strict enforcing of it would simply be another way for Labour to cash in on fines.

 

[Minniespal]

Can't see how this can work. Unless the spend millions more money on cameras and sensors.

 

[tim june and sam]

Shame on you posters who condone breaking the speed limit.

If you'd seen the five car nose-to-tail crash that I saw at less than 5 yards yesterday morning you'd (like me) respect the limit a bit more? Accident definitely caused by a green Citroen who decided that 90 mph tail-gating the car in front was in order?

That's my 10c.... Phew!

 

[Miffy2003]

I don't think tail gating is acceptable under any circumstances but I have to say I rarely go as slow as 70 mphs on Mways. Sorry Tim!

 

[FizzyPop]

I have to admit im not one for sticking to the motorway speed limit. I cant see how this is going to reduce emisions.

 

[Frances999]

Shame on you posters who condone breaking the speed limit.

If you'd seen the five car nose-to-tail crash that I saw at less than 5 yards yesterday morning you'd (like me) respect the limit a bit more? Accident definitely caused by a green Citroen who decided that 90 mph tail-gating the car in front was in order?

That's my 10c.... Phew!

I'm sorry, but this sounds like it was simply due to tailgating and not directly related to speed. I agree with Karen that, of course, tailgating is not acceptable - but I don't think the circumstances would have been too different if the driver was doing 70 or 90. However, they shouldn't have been tailgating in the first place.

 

[AlanUK]

I rarely drive over 65 mph on the motorway, I find that leaving the proper amount of time for my journey relieves all the stress of driving, and I get better fuel economy as well

 

[disney13]

With so many cars on our roads nowadays, I didn't think ANYONE could go over the speed limit!!

 

[gilld]

I'm not ashamed to say I keep to the speed limit too. It's more ecologically friendly, more cost effective, and safer. It's also legal.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I think the standard of driving in the North West where I live is very poor, and drivers frequently tailgate as if to try and push you out of the way.

Generally I ignore as best I can, also given the number of speed cameras in my area (they are all over the place) you have to be very careful, and it is not really possible to get much over 30pmh anyway.

I do not keep below 70mph on the motorway. I work 2 days a week in Cheadle, Manchester which is just over an hours drive.
However, a good 20 minutes of this I spend doing 40mph due to lengthy roadworks that have been on-going for some time.
Hence when the road is clear I make the most of it without going excessively fast.

 

[Goofyish]

I do a short bit of motorway driving to work in the mornings (about 8 miles), and for economy reason I tend to stick to about 65mph where according to my on board trip computer I get around 43mpg. If I go above 70mph the fuel consumption rises very sharply. At 80 it's only just over 30mpg!
So speed does have link to emissions.

In my view the 70mph limit should stay, but be reduced and enforced in bad weather, poor visability and roadworks. On a clear motorway the 'typical speed of the flow' is probably close to 80mph, so raising the speed limit will increase this typical speed even higher.

I also think that there should be a compulsary period of motorway training introduced after someone passes their test to teach proper lane disipline, how to enter and exit the motorway etc.

Lorries should be forced to stay in the inside lane unless there is a crawler lane on steep hills - they seem to think that they can just pull out to overtake with just a brief flash of an indicator, and then crawl along a 1mph faster than the lorry they are overtaking!

 

[FizzyPop]

I also think that there should be a compulsary period of motorway training introduced after someone passes their test to teach proper lane disipline, how to enter and exit the motorway etc.

Oh yes Without a doubt. I can remember the first time I drove on a motorway and I was so scared.
I probably do about 80 on the motorway, I stick to speed limits everywhere else. My partner does alot of track days so he can do the speeds he wants.

 

[emmaness]

I also think that there should be a compulsary period of motorway training introduced after someone passes their test to teach proper lane disipline, how to enter and exit the motorway etc.

I think that is an excellent idea in theory (I'm speaking as someone who recently passed their test), but for people like me who live a good 40 miles from their nearest motorway, it's really not very convenient! Personally I won't be going on the motorway for a while, but I'm going to build up to it by practising up and down the dual carriageway which is a bit nearer to me. I definitely think I'll stick to the speed limit when I do start driving on the motorway! I'd be too terrified to go faster than 70, lol!

I'll be honest and say that already I don't always stick to 30 limits, but only on really clear stretches of road. 30 does feel a tad slow on some roads, y'know? But either way, I rarely get a chance to go faster than 2mph, the traffic is so bad around here!!

 

[Deedee]

We live by m5-m6 motorways so we have no chance of speeding. The men doing road works move faster than we do!!!