Motorways ‘not safe enough’ to allow the speed limit to be raised to 80mph

Motorways are not safe enough to cope with raising the speed limit from 70mph to 80mph, according to a report to be published today.

The UK government intends to consult on introducing an 80mph limit on motorways south of the Border.

But the Road Safety Foundation (RSF) said there was not enough protection for road users for the limit to be raised.

It added that there would be a rapidly rising risk of shunt crashes from the sheer volume of traffic using the motorways.

The report also said there were widespread faults in the protection given to drivers to prevent them running off the road.

The RSF also cited the problem of pedestrians on the hard shoulder, roadworks, extreme weather and spillages from vehicles.

In addition, there would be negative economic effects from a higher speed limit, including increased vehicle operating costs through higher fuel consumption; increased crashes and crash severity, resulting in raised crash costs; and the increased cost caused by delays from crashes.

The foundation said it recognised the argument that respect for the 70mph limit was poor and it did not dismiss proposals to raise the limit.

But the report concluded: “Drivers who want to are already travelling at 80mph when they can. Economic benefits only arise if ‘80 means 90’ and opinion surveys show no public support for that.

“However, large economic benefits arise from fixing the motorways systematically rather than raising the speed limit.”

RSF director Joanne Marden said: “Our cars provide four-star or five-star crash protection, but too many of our motorways rate only three-star, with major weakness in run-off protection.”

Proposals to bring in 80mph limits were first put forward in autumn 2011 by the then transport secretary Philip Hammond. If a higher limit is introduced, there would still be some sections of motorway where the limit would stay at 70mph. Two-thirds of AA members support an increase in the limit to 80mph.

AA president Edmund King said: “Driving at 80mph in a modern car in good weather at a safe distance from the car in front on a well-engineered motorway is perfectly safe.

“Driving at 50mph tailgating the car in front is not. Driving at 75mph on a sub-standard stretch of motorway without a decent central reservation or run-off areas may not be safe.”

He added that 80mph was “already accepted by most as the de facto limit, so it is better to legalise this limit on the safest stretches of motorway and enforce it”.

Roads minister Mike Penning said: “We plan to bring forward detailed proposals and start consultation during the next few months.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said it has no plans to raise the limit.

He added: “The new powers afforded in the Scotland Act will enable the Scottish Government to make the right decisions on speed limits for Scottish roads, rather than have any changes imposed by Westminster.

“Road safety is our first priority and we have no current plans to increase speed limits.”