UK In the fast lane ?
The UK Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond, has proposed to increase the speed limit on UK motorways from 70- to 80mph.
The idea behind the change is to reduce journey times, as the Government believes that the economy could be improved if motorists spend less time behind the wheel.
Mr. Hammond said that safety might not be the only factor to consider when it comes to judging how fast cars travel on the roads.
Speaking to the 'Daily Telegraph', he said: "We need to do this on a pretty rigorous cost-benefit basis. At the moment there are a clear set of criteria for making these decisions. Perhaps we ought to ask if we are using the right set of criteria."
Motorway speed limits in the UK are significantly lower than those in other European countries. The maximum speed on similar roads in France and Italy is 81mph. In Spain, Portugal and Ireland it is 75mph.
The UK's 70mph motorway speed limit was introduced in 1965, following a series of reports of manufacturers and car owners testing high performance cars to their limits.
There were 132 deaths on UK motorways in 2009, which is the last year for which figures are available. However, motorists are more likely to experience an accident on town and country roads with lower speed limits, poorer visibility, less space and no division between oncoming traffic.
source : yahoo.
we want to know what you think, is this a good move ?
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