[article]UK gov to cut speed to 50 mph on all single carriage roads

mike65

bar a few! I wonder did they glance this direction first?

THE government is to cut the national speed limit from 60mph to 50mph on most of Britain’s roads, enforced by a new generation of average speed cameras.

The reduction , to be imposed as early as next year, will affect two thirds of the country’s road network. Drivers will still be able to reach 70mph on motorways and dual carriageways and 60mph on the safest A roads.

Jim Fitzpatrick, the roads minister, defended the plan, which will be the most dramatic cut since 1978, when the national speed limit was reduced from 70mph to 60mph.

“There will be some in the driving lobby who think this is a further attack and a restriction on people’s freedom,” he said. “But when you compare that to the fact we are killing 3,000 people a year on our roads, it would be irresponsible not to do something about it. I’m sure that the vast majority of motorists would support the proposals.”


New research by the Department for Transport has found that reducing the speed limit could save 200-250 lives a year and also reduce carbon emissions.

Britain’s roads were the safest in the world until 2001, relative to its population, but have since fallen into sixth place behind countries such as the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway. Some challenge that statistic because of the disparity of the countries’ sizes.

The new 50mph limit is intended to reduce the high death toll on rural roads, where, in 2007, 69% of car crash fatalities took place. It will apply to single carriage A, B and C roads. Local authorities will have the power to raise the limit to 60mph on the safest roads, but will have to justify it.

Ministers plan to use average speed cameras, which monitor speeds over distances of up to six miles, to help enforce the new limit. The cameras have already been installed at 43 locations. The Home Office is expected to approve their wider use later this year.

Speed Check Services, the company behind the cameras, claims the number of deaths or serious injuries at its sites has fallen on average by 60%.

Fitzpatrick said: “If you look at the figures on rural roads, there are disproportionately more people dying there than on any other roads. The nature of some rural roads, with dips and bends and difficult conditions, means that the 60mph limit is not enough.”

The 50mph proposal will be laid out in a consultation document to be published in the early summer.

Edmund King, president of the AA, warned that the move could alienate some motorists. Last year the AA asked 17,481 motorists if the limit on single carriageway roads should be cut to 50mph. Nearly half backed the move but 38% opposed it.

He said: “There are quitea few single carriageway rural roads that are straight and adequately wide, where 60mph – in the right conditions, driving sensibly — is not a problem.

“The danger of the blanket approach is: are you going to then reduce speed limits just for the sake of it where you don’t need to? That’s where you lose the respect or the support of the motorist.

“We all know some rural roads where the 60mph limit is ridiculous, although there are equally others where it suits. So it is a case of getting that balance.”

ninty9er

"The new 50mph limit is intended to reduce the high death toll on rural roads, where, in 2007, 69% of car crash fatalities took place. It will apply to single carriage A, B and C roads. Local authorities will have the power to raise the limit to 60mph on the safest roads, but will have to justify it."

Do they not realise that it's the speed people drive at rather than the posted limit that is partially the issue??:rolleyes:

Tipsy Mac

Speed doesn't kill, look at Germany and their Autobahns with no speed limit and one of the lowest death rates in europe.

Esel

Tipsy Mac wrote: »

Speed doesn't kill, look at Germany and their Autobahns with no speed limit and one of the lowest death rates in europe.

Right, because Autobahns = single carriageway roads.....

ninty9er

Tipsy Mac wrote: »

Speed doesn't kill, look at Germany and their Autobahns with no speed limit and one of the lowest death rates in europe.

I'm working with a few more on a driver education policy at the moment....poor education is the root cause of road deaths.

Poor education causes people to:

-drive at inappropriate speeds
-be unable to deal with emergency situations
-think it's okay to have a pint and drive
-drive on bald tyres
-drive with 1 headlight

These are some causes of road deaths, there is only one root cause.

Tipsy Mac

ninty9er wrote: »

I'm working with a few more on a driver education policy at the moment....poor education is the root cause of road deaths.

Poor education causes people to:

-drive at inappropriate speeds
-be unable to deal with emergency situations
-think it's okay to have a pint and drive
-drive on bald tyres
-drive with 1 headlight

These are some causes of road deaths, there is only one root cause.

On a motorway a bigger cause would be driving in the outside lane at the speed limit assuming it's the "fast lane".

ninty9er

Tipsy Mac wrote: »

On a motorway a bigger cause would be driving in the outside lane at the speed limit assuming it's the "fast lane".

And one would think it's a "fast lane" because....

See where I'm going??

Tipsy Mac

ninty9er wrote: »

And one would think it's a "fast lane" because....

See where I'm going??

Yeah i agree education is a big thing, i passed my test about 10 years ago but there was little or no mention or testing on knowledge of motorways, i can only think that those in the generation before me would have even less of a breeze.

Mycroft H

Tipsy Mac wrote: »

Speed doesn't kill, look at Germany and their Autobahns with no speed limit and one of the lowest death rates in europe.

Only a small portion of the autobahns in germany are unregulated speed wise nowadays.

L1011

And they're going to keep the limit at 70 on their lethal, median-breached, no H/S dual carriageways then?

AugustusMaximus

landyman wrote: »

Only a small portion of the autobahns in germany are unregulated speed wise nowadays.

More than half of the network has no speed limit as far as I know.


Lets hope Dan Boyle doens't get light of this development. He's absolutely dying for an excuse to cut 20kph off every speed limit in the country. And this coming from a man who was never even elected to office.

L1011

AugustusMaximus wrote: »

More than half of the network has no speed limit as far as I know.


Lets hope Dan Boyle doens't get light of this development. He's absolutely dying for an excuse to cut 20kph off every speed limit in the country. And this coming from a man who was never even elected to office.

I suspect the UK is copying us as it is...

Anyway, Dan Boyle WAS elected. And then wasn't - his constituency didn't want him any more. I suspect thats worse!

Voodoomelon

An episode of Megastructures stated that only a third of the Autobahn network has no limit, the rest has strictly enforced limits.

AugustusMaximus

On average, about three quarters of the total length of the German autobahn network has no speed limit, about one quarter has a permanent limit, and the remaining parts have a temporary limit for a number of reasons.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autobahn#Germany_4

Savman

ninty9er wrote: »

poor education is the root cause of road deaths.

Agree one million percent.

Fighting Irish

stupid people are the root cause of road deaths

TheInquisitor

Speeding doesn't kill! Bad and stupid driving kills. A BMW 7 series doing 160 on a motorway is not dangerous. A chincochento doing 120 on a motorway is dangerous

L1011

TheInquisitor wrote: »

Speeding doesn't kill! Bad and stupid driving kills. A BMW 7 series doing 160 on a motorway is not dangerous. A chincochento doing 120 on a motorway is dangerous

You know theres Cinquecento's with significantly better than expected braking systems and acceleration in existence, right? As long as its the 1.1 it is perfectly capable of being driven safely at 120 on a motorway

TheInquisitor

MYOB wrote: »

You know theres Cinquecento's with significantly better than expected braking systems and acceleration in existence, right? As long as its the 1.1 it is perfectly capable of being driven safely at 120 on a motorway

Cinquecento's are for city and surburban driving only. Please see boards thread on this subject. And apologies if you have this car....

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055205627