55mph Speed Limit

[presta]

With a Green Party document reportedly proposing 55mph speed limits for motorways, 69% of Britons would be opposed to such a move.
Even green voters don't like it:

https://yougov.com/en-gb/daily-results/20260407-a2c54-3

 

[Oldhippy]

Excellent idea I think personally.

 

[raleighnut]

As they say 'over the pond'..........................."Damn the double nickel"

 

[bikingdad90]

We need to consider adopting an EU approach where the speed limit is staggered. Big heavy vehicles limited to lower speeds and the outer slow lanes while cars can travel at 60-80mph in the inner faster lanes depending on the road type. We found driving in Europe so much easier and more fluid than in the UK, apart from joining roads which were a little problematic but largely because the drivers seat was no in the right location.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I think "the common man" would get so annoyed about it that they would ignore it

which would cause all sorts of problems - including then there would then be no speed limit for them

If it became unenforceable then it would backfire badly

basically a decent idea - it would save a lot of fuel

but they would need a series of policies over many years before they got to it
starting with a lot more money for enforcement of what we have now

 

[Sharky]

Why?

Is it a safety mitigation or an energy/fuel consideration?

Whatever ..... Having just done a speed awareness course, I know now, I did know before really, but the national speed limit on all other roads is 60mph, unless there is an overriding speed limit in place.

It would be a bit strange to have a motorway limit lower than on other roads.

It would make sense to reduce the 60mph limit to say 50mph. This would mitigate both safety and energy issues.

I can never understand why some roads, even single track roads are at the national limit. (60mph), when no sane driver would drive at 60mph, but it wouldn't be illegal if they did.

 

[YMFB]

In the US, speed limits on main roads vary from 55 - 80 mph. The US police enforce limits more rigorously than the U.K. I think in the U.K. we should be less rigid with the uniformity of limits, for instance the M6 through Birmingham could arguably be 55 mph, but north of Manchester it could be 80.

Salisbury was one of the first IN THE UK to implement a 20 limit, complete waste of money as it’s almost impossible to get up to 20 mph.

Just need a bit more thought

 

[a.twiddler]

If things continue with the Straits of Hormuz remaining closed or passage limited due to the US/Israeli war with Iran we might find something more restrictive arriving sooner than that. The speed limit during the oil crisis of 1973 was 50 which caused a lot of moaning but people coped, and it wasn't the end of the world. Who knows what might be implemented this time round.