60mph limit

[j90xxx]

The Government (Highways Agency) are to introduce a 60mph speed limit on the M1 in Derbyshire & South Yorkshire. This is not for roadworks or rush hour, this is a permanent drop from the current 70mph limit.
The reason?
Road safety? Better traffic flow? Accident black-spot?
No.
The environment! cratch:
The proposed 10mph reduction will help to cut air pollution to nearby residents and school children. :eek:
The worrying (if you are worried?) thing is that this is perceived by some businesses and motoring organizations to be the 'tip of the iceberg'. There are believed to be 13 other sections of UK motorways where this could be introduced.
Along with the recent proposal to electronically limit ALL company cars to 70mph and to reduce LCVs to from 56 to 52mph, the UK will be at a standstill before long!
Unless you live in Malta (the national speed limit is 40mph), we already have one of the lowest speed limits in Europe.
Perhaps Mr. Orwell was right? tudy:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25619914

[taxi]

....and one-way systems in cities etc MUST raise emissions.

[lennythelion]

A lot of the time you'd be lucky to do 60MPH on the M1, but agree 60MPH is ridiculous speed limit for the motorway.

We have a main A road in N Notts A614, which had its speed limit dropped from 60 to 50, as some local boy racers managed to have 1 too many fatal crashes. Now we have over 20 miles of die straight A road with a 50 mph limit and average speed cameras cause of their action.

[j90xxx]

Can understand a reduction for safety reasons.
(As a general rule there is no such thing as a dangerous road, only dangerous drivers.)
But this is for 'environmental' reasons!?!
I bet Friends of the Earth, the Green Party, English Heritage, Greenpeace and the Environment Agency think its Christmas again! anta:

---

As Helen Lovejoy says, "Think of the children."

[mikep1973]

The speed limit is 70. We still do 90. Does it matter if it's 60? Unless they install average speed cameras along it, no one is going to take a blind bit of notice.

Anyway, having driven that section of the M1 in rush hour many times, it'd be a joy to be able to do 60 on it. It's usually more like 30 or 40..

[ron]

This is the thin edge of the wedge folks.When the parents at our local school sit with engine running for aircon/heating according to season,I can see no point in trying to do "my bit". To me, & call me cynical if you like,it's a gigantic tax scam.alut:

[Jed Clampit]

They don't want us on the road's they need to get us on the train's to pay over inflated fare's for that nice i speed two and three :justno:

[j90xxx]

The speed limit is 70. We still do 90. Does it matter if it's 60? Unless they install average speed cameras along it, no one is going to take a blind bit of notice.

Anyway, having driven that section of the M1 in rush hour many times, it'd be a joy to be able to do 60 on it. It's usually more like 30 or 40..

Er? Yes it does matter. For a start.
And 'we' don't do 90.
I travel the motorway network of the UK at all times of day and night (not all the time, obviously) and it's a myth that people are doing 90mph. For a start, as you mention, at many times of the day (and night) there is far too much traffic do do more than 50mph. Then there are the miles of roadworks that take years to finish with their 50mph average cams (40mph M6 Cannock now).
Think M25 Heathrow, M1 Luton, M6 Birmingham, M62 South Yorks, some of those road 'improvements' were (are) scheduled to last 2 or 3 yrs.
And don't think about 90mph late at night. The Highways Agency, in their wisdom, now either close 2+ lanes all night, or close entire lengths, or close entry slips to change lightbulbs in the streetlights.
And streetlights...
Those are now switched off at night on motorways to save electricity! What's that all about?
There may, of course, be sections of the M5 south of Bristol, M6 north of Lancaster, M74 north of Moffat, M4 west of Bridgend or the entire M50 where it is nice and quiet at certain times. But then you have the Safety Camera Teams sat on bridges watching your every move.
I probably see a handful of cars a week doing 90mph+ and some of those could be unmarked police cars?
Don't get me started on unmarked police cars.
Is there a nationwide shortage of 'battenberg' stickers for police cars, or are they just thinking about resale?
And as for the 'ton up' boys from my past, I don't think I can recall seeing anyone doing well over 100mph this millennia.
Speeding today is becoming as unfashionable and unacceptable as drink-driving.
Oh, and, yes there will be cameras on the proposed 60mph section of the M1 so be careful out there.......