UK Government raising 'out of date' 70mph limit on highways to 80mph

[alexmst]

Government Ministers want to increase the motorway speed limit to 80mph by 2013.

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said the current limit of 70 mph was 'out of date' and a higher one would bring economic benefits.
He said the plan would shorten journey times as well as boosting the economy.

It is understood the consultation will be launched later this year with a view to introducing the new limit in 2013.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...peed-limit-increased-80mph.html#ixzz1ZOQyaQoP

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[Mervyn]

They still use MPH ? ? ?

 

[New Guy]

They still use MPH ? ? ?

Yes.


I LOVE driving over'ome. Just watch out for the cameras.

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[WoodPeckr]

They still use MPH ? ? ?

Brits are more afraid of change than them conservative Yanks....:eyebrows:

 

[nottyboi]

Brits are more afraid of change than them conservative Yanks....:eyebrows:

They are changing the speed limit to 130 kph...while we are stuck at 100... WTF.

 

[alexmst]

They are changing the speed limit to 130 kph...while we are stuck at 100... WTF.

Yes, that is my point - we should raise our speed limits in Canada to 130 km/h too.

 

[WoodPeckr]

But speed Kills!!!....:Eek:

 

[New Guy]

But speed Kills!!!....:Eek:

Thats the thrill.


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[FatOne]

But speed Kills!!!....:Eek:

It also increases fuel consumption and wear and tear on vehicles.

Although it is good for clearing moose and deer from the roadsides.

 

[alexmst]

It also increases fuel consumption and wear and tear on vehicles.

Although it is good for clearing moose and deer from the roadsides.

Annoying stop and go traffic causes more wear and tear on a car than going 130 km/h on highways.

Of course in the GTA the 130 km/h limit would only be useful on 407 or late night on the other highways. Would rush hour traffic on the DVP move faster if the limit was raised from 90 km/h to 130 km/h? No. The limit is of no practical concern as traffic just moves as fast as it can go, which isn't very fast, and is usually far bellow 90 km/h. Driving on the DVP in rush hour it is pretty much impossible to get a speeding ticket lol.

 

[mmouse]

But speed Kills!!!....:Eek:

Exactly - the UK is over populated

 

[wigglee]

120kph is a good, safe highway speed.....130 might increase the accident rate. 100 is just a license to print speeding tix

 

[New Guy]

Exactly - the UK is over populated

A good buddy in England claims ( somewhat tongue in cheek ) that the higher speed limit actually saves the NHS in medical costs. If you crash at a high rate of speed you likely die, so no extensive medical care needed. Slow speed crashes cause injuries that take up resources.

I agree with that logic but then again I have a very heavy right foot.

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[Mervyn]

One would think however that in the UK, raising the speed limit would be particularly dangerous, after all, everyone over there drives on the wrong side of the road

 

[FatOne]

Annoying stop and go traffic causes more wear and tear on a car than going 130 km/h on highways.

Which is why I take the 401 or the Don Valley Parkinglot+Gardner vs say Dundas street.

However based on what I read steady 90 vs 120 kph travel does save on vehicle wear and tear.
Not that I do it. I tried, really tried, but driving long distances is hard on the body for me so I chose speed.

 

[chris123]

100kmh is ridiculously slow for a MAXIMUM speed limit. This is Canada, it's quite big!

Personally I'd like to see no limit on 400 series Hwys on designated stretches, however only about 10% of the population know how to drive properly so it should never happen. Make getting a kidney easy though.

 

[alexmst]

100kmh is ridiculously slow for a MAXIMUM speed limit. This is Canada, it's quite big!

Personally I'd like to see no limit on 400 series Hwys on designated stretches, however only about 10% of the population know how to drive properly so it should never happen. Make getting a kidney easy though.

No limit would be fun, but the humour in watching the soccer moms in rattletrap minivan brigades trying to go 160 km/h+ would be eclipsed by the sickening bloody carnage when they wiped out and rolled over their vehicles.

If only there was a way whereby performance cars were allowed to drive without limits on 400-series highways in the left lanes, but minivans, pickups, trucks, vehicles with high centres of gravity, and Toyota products were made to drive in the right lanes at a 110 km/h maximum.

 

[Quest4Less]

'Speed' does not kill - not by itself. You need reckless driving to kill....

 

[woodee]

The speed limit is just fine where it is. If you want to drive 130kph then go ahead, many do. When the speed limit was 70mph then people drove 75 to 80mph. After they lowered the speed to 100kph then people drove 110-115kph. It's fast enough for the average driver. Drive a little slower, you're more relaxed. Drive a little faster, be more aggressive. It's your choice. My cruise control will be set at 110kph.

 

[rhuarc29]

120kph is a good, safe highway speed.....130 might increase the accident rate.

ANY increase will raise the accident rate. Any decrease will lower the accident rate, right down to 0 accidents at 0km/h. The point is to have a reasonable speed limit that isn't overly dangerous, yet still facilitates travel. 120km/h sounds good to me.

Actually, I'd like to see them increase all speed limits 25%, allow a 5km/h buffer, then nab every single person they catch going over that. Not sure how that would work out, but it'd be interesting nonetheless.