Increasing the motorway speed limit.

Amendment NC 9 for the Report Stage of the Traffic Management Bill (16 March 2004) proposes that the speed limit on motorways should be raised to 80mph. PACTS believes that an increase of the motorway speed limit to 80 mph would be likely to increase road casualties. Factors contributing to this include greater speed differentials, longer stopping distances, increased severity of impacts and difficulties regarding enforcement. There are also likely to be adverse effects in terms of vehicle emissions and noise, and overall journey times are unlikely to be reduced. (Author/publisher)