Transport Secretary Philip Hammond tells Channel 4 News “I am the motorist’s friend” as he proposes raising the speed limit for cars on the UK’s motorways to 80mph.
A review of road safety is expected to result in the increase to 80mph, from the current 70mph, as the government pledges to “get Britain moving”.
Transport Secretary Philip Hammond told Channel 4 News there is no evidence raising the limit would mean drivers pushing the limits even further.
He said: “That isn’t the evidence from other countries that have raised their national speed limits.
“The evidence from Denmark, for example, was that average speeds went up by about two-and-a-half miles an hour.
“Many people are driving at a speed that they feel comfortable with, which is in excess of the speed limit. We’ll just put them back on the right side of the law.”
But Dr Bob Gale, a member of RoadPeace, told Channel 4 News: “No matter what limit you set, people will always want to go faster.”
Julie Townsend, campaigns director for Brake, the road safety charity, agrees.
She said: “It would be highly immoral to raise motorway speed limits when research indicates it would lead to more deaths and injuries.”
On the question of increased road deaths, Mr Hammond said the effect on fatalities would form a key part of the decision-making process.
“When we consult on this measure we will publish the analysis that we have of the likely impact on road safety, the likely benefits through time-saving to the economy and also the likely impact on air quality and carbon production,” he explained.
“But on balance we feel that the time is now right to revise the limit which has been in place since the mid-1960s when car technology and motorway conditions were very different indeed.”
It will mean oil dependancy is up, road casualties will go up, CO2 emissions up and also we’ll be carving up the arctic. Emma Gibson
“There are drivers out there who are driving on work-related activity for whom time is very critical – and for them we think that the savings of time that can be made will be significantly economically beneficial – hundreds of milions of pounds of benefit to the economy.
“My message is that I am the motorist’s friend but that doesn’t mean the motorist can go on producing carbon unchecked.
“The war is not against the motorist, it’s against the carbon.”
Emma Gibson from Greenpeace told Channel 4 News “I can’t think of anything worse for our economy” than a rise in the speed limit.
She said: “The Saudi oil minister will be rubbing his hands with glee at this news.”
She added: ” I don’t think you can really offset the limits with having more 20 miles per hour zones.
“This proposed change in the law will mean oil dependancy is up, road casualties will go up, CO2 emissions up, and also we’ll be carving up the arctic to explore for the oil that we’re going to need in our cars.”
Meanwhile Geoff Dunning from the Road Haulage Association hopes the planned changes are a positive sign for his industry.
“Trucks are subject to a lower limit anyway – at 60,” he said.
“One issue that we’ve been trying to pusue is the 40mph limit on single carriage roads. We want that raised to 50mph.
“The 80mph issue doesn’t directly affect us. But if the principle is getting Britain moving than we would welcome it.”