[TonyFoy]

I think 70 is fine as it stands.

What causes lots of accidents isn't pure speed but the relative speed between different types of vehicles (Cars / HGV / Caravans etc). Increasing speed limits will raise this relative speed and reduce thinking time leading to poor decisions. Hauliers are after fuel economy and won't let their lorries go any faster to reduce the speed difference gap if the limit was raised.

I would introduce flexible limits based on weather / traffic volume and on uphill sections (slow lorries ahead sign anyone?) ban slow vehicles from lane 2 to stop lane hogging HGV's trying to pass each other at 1 inch an hour. This would keep the traffic moving at a more consistent speed.

Speed enforcement cameras are pure madness as they will increase accidents with people breaking hard causing pile ups behind. A motorway test should be introduced after you pass your driving test and you have to pass it to use it.

[minicore]

I reckon it should be 90 and reinforced accordingly... ticket people at 10% over + 3 MPH... or whatever the current supposed "rule" is (which would mean a ticket at just over 100 I think).

[minicore]

Plus, I reckon the limit should be higher on toll roads...

[laura f]

Nope it should stay as it is, unless they were to improve the licensing/training system. There are already too many irresonsible people out there, raising the limit across the board is likely to make more and faster ones

As TonyFoy says it would also increase the gap between the slower vehicles and the faster, making accidents more likely. Maybe I've done too many miles and seen too many accidents lately....

[Hat]

Quote: Originally Posted by TonyFoy (original)

I think 70 is fine as it stands.

What causes lots of accidents isn't pure speed but the relative speed between different types of vehicles (Cars / HGV / Caravans etc). Increasing speed limits will raise this relative speed and reduce thinking time leading to poor decisions. Hauliers are after fuel economy and won't let their lorries go any faster to reduce the speed difference gap if the limit was raised.

I would introduce flexible limits based on weather / traffic volume and on uphill sections (slow lorries ahead sign anyone?) ban slow vehicles from lane 2 to stop lane hogging HGV's trying to pass each other at 1 inch an hour. This would keep the traffic moving at a more consistent speed.

Speed enforcement cameras are pure madness as they will increase accidents with people breaking hard causing pile ups behind. A motorway test should be introduced after you pass your driving test and you have to pass it to use it.

i agree totally with the above, variable limits are the way to go - anyone who has travelled towards the bottom of the M6 will have seen this in action & as annoying as it may be having so many signs & cameras, it does work as it smooths out the flow of traffic rather than getting the usual bunching up & concertina effect

[ScottieCoop]

IMO when I ever travel south of the border the M40 M25 M4 M5 M1 A1M M6

your motorways are to busy for the speed limit to be increased.

Up here in Scotland the Motorways are a lot quieter you take the M9 section from Edinburgh to Stirling something like only 4% of the traffic intended actually travels the road. I would say increase them to 80mph and only at certain times.

[linners2005]

Quote: Originally Posted by Fin (original)

As a 19 year old driving a MCS i can say that it should stay at 70mph

After seeing your MINI rallying video, I don't believe you!

That was 65mph (i check the video carefully) on a 60mph road, but that's besides the point, that's another issue and another thread...........

...........I honestly do think the speed limit should be kept at 70mph as it is inforced very lapse at times and people can say it should be higher and better inforced but this would never happen, there simply aren't enough traffic officers to do this as they don't just catch people for speeding (although most people think so) they assist broken down drivers, help clear accidents and assist people who have been in incidents.

70mph should stand.

P.S for people talking about France and Germany, they drive on the wrong side of the road

[Curry23]

It doesnt matter what the speed limit is on the motorway, people will just drive at what ever speed they like anyway. i usually drive at about 80 but you get people quite regulary doing 100+

[wibbly]

The danger is there are already too many stoopid idiots who can't drive safely at motorway speed limits, imagine increasing it

Carnage I say, absolute carnage

[MINIMAT]

I voted to increase it to 80 but it will mean people regularly driving at 90. I can imagine a 17 year old boy racer passing his test and doing 90 along the motorway in a ten year old vehicle in bad weather.

[minicore]

This might have been brought up already, but what about different speeds based on lane and experience? For example, new drivers (under 6 months driving perhaps?) are forbidden from using the fast lane, where the limit could be 80 or 90 MPH, with all other lanes staying at 70...

Then again, you will always get some moron doing 50 in the outside lane. (plus I guess it would be difficult to police one stretch of road with varying speeds?)

I think Northern Ireland have some sort of motorway/speed restrictions on new drivers?

[PeterMini]

It should be 80 mph but only after an eductation campaign and reduced accident stats on motorways. As I see it those in favor of current limit believe it should stay on the grounds that peoples driving is not up to standard. I agree !! However with good drivers in modern cars there is no greater risks driving at 80 than there is at 70. When the 70 limit came in think what types of cars we were driving. Heck 70 then was pretty dangerous except that there were fewer cars on the road. So my plan would be to publish the accident stats for motorways only, then purpose that if these were halved the speed limit would be increased to 80 mph. Get drivers to drive better then we can all drive faster and safer. I would also go further in that if we could get joe public to drive responsible then in the future there is no reason why we could not have highter limits at times of low traffic density and good weather. However I it will never happen. The do-gooders and goverment have a fixation on speed. Speed kills they say. NO IT DOESNT!! Bad driving which includes inappropiate use of speed causes accidents. Speed effects the consquence of an accident, 95% of the time it is not the cause. Improve driving standards and we can all have fun.

[paulm3]

i think it should be like the autobahns. its only stupid ppl that dont move over into the right lanes,and lack of concentration that causes accidents. like the reports say... 1 in 20 accidents are a result of speeding. remember the 70mph limits were brought in when cars had drum brakes all round!! and like clarkson said, if cars stop 2 times shorter than the highway code says... can we go twice as fast???

[neilobe]

Make it 80mph, and after 11pm till 6am there should be No speed limit , unless roadworks are being done..

[jonnywhite]

mmm.....I guess we all want to go faster on the motorways but I just don't think we have the roads for it. I live in Machester and so the M'ways around our way are always pretty full so an increase in speed limit wouldn't really benefit anyone. Maybe some quieter stretches of road should be increased (The M6 Toll, M6 around the Lakes etc) but I also think some stretches of motorway should have the limits reduced according to time of day and weather. How about between 10am and 2pm we get to floor it?!

[Fin]

With regard to different vehicles doing different speeds, how about we restrict all lorries to the left hand lane.

And only allow caravans on the road from 4:00am until 4:30am.

[minimad17]

the outside should be like a 90mph lane.....'the fast lane' !!!!! there should be certain criteria though...over 21 year olds or having a UK DL for 3 years + etc...obviously people could/would abuse these rights...but then if they were to be pulled by the police they would face serious punishment etc etc.....worth a thought though!

[LMB]

Quote: Originally Posted by mph999 (original)

The problem is this ...

One reason 70 was chosen, it was the speed at which the average driver would remain reasonably safe.

The average driver is my opinion these days has about the skill of a peanut, until tailgating, undertaking etc .. are resolved (which ain't going to happen), then the limit should stay. The general driving standard is crap, accidents happen as people drive into "situations" too fast (I'm not by the way saying they're speeding), just imagine the carnage if we could do 80.

(oh, I would personally like an 80 limit ...)

Martin

I don't think speed is the main issue on motorways, it's more bad driving. I see it every day, tail gaters, weaver birds and morons who sit in the outside/middle lane.

[LMB]

Quote: Originally Posted by Fin (original)

With regard to different vehicles doing different speeds, how about we restrict all lorries to the left hand lane.

And only allow caravans on the road from 4:00am until 4:30am.

If you ask me Lorries should be banned from motorways from the hours of 7:00 am to 7:00pm. Not only would there be less accidents but there would also be less congestion. All freight should travel by night, no exceptions.

[Mike Clarke]

Quote: Originally Posted by Rakey (original)

It should be a free for all, with over taking and under taking, and those that lane hog taken out to the hard shoulder and hung from those useless signs

you've obviously driven on the freeways in Perth Martin

Quote: Originally Posted by mph999 (original)

The problem is this ...

Some information can be found here
A small excerpt...

The 70 mph speed limit on motorways has been in force since December 1965. It was introduced as an illogical reaction to a series of multiple accidents in poor weather conditions. That such accidents occurred and continue to occur is not surprising, since drivers have never been offered effective training in judging speed and distance within the unique visual environment of a motorway.
A 70 mph speed limit imposed in good conditions could not and has not prevented these accidents. The report on the 70 mph 'experiment' attempted to justify its continuation but provided no valid evidence that accidents had reduced. In the last 35 years, substantial improvements have been made in vehicle and highway engineering. Drivers have become much more accustomed to motorway driving, even though training is still inadequate. In 1965, 70 mph represented more than 80% of the maximum speed of average cars. Now it represents only 60%. The result is that 56% of car drivers exceed the motorway speed limit.

Quote: Originally Posted by LMB (original)

If you ask me Lorries should be banned from motorways from the hours of 7:00 am to 7:00pm. Not only would there be less accidents but there would also be less congestion. All freight should travel by night, no exceptions.

From a purely selfish viewpoint I think that is an excellent idea
Not sure what those who drive for a living would think though