Ivo
Established Member
A plan has surfaced for rural roads to have their speed limits reduced to only 40mph.
From the BBC:
Now, in the cases of genuinely narrow roads, i.e. those that typically have hedges on either sides with a width of only 3m or so which have passing places and are common only in quiet areas such as Cornwall and the Highlands, I can understand this. But otherwise, 60 is fine.
As usual, Brake and the like are using the horrendously clichéd line that speed kills to back this up. It doesn't. Carelessness kills.
There are even suggestions that it is ridiculous that the difference between motorways and these roads is only 10mph. Whilst I do agree with that, I think it works both ways; not only should narrow winding roads (but only those) be 40, motorways ought to be 80...
From the BBC:
Speed limits on many rural roads in England could be cut from 60mph to 40mph under government proposals.
The reduction should be considered by councils on roads with "many bends or junctions", the Department for Transport (DfT) says in draft guidance.
Some 49% of road deaths in 2010 in the UK took place on single carriageway rural roads with a 60mph speed limit.
Road Safety Minister Mike Penning said it was "vital that speed limits are suitable for local conditions".
The vast majority of rural single-carriageway roads are subject to the national speed limit of 60mph.
Under the plans, which are open to public consultation, a reduction to 40mph should also be considered where there is "substantial development" or where there are "a considerable number" of horse-riders, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
A reduction to 50mph would be considered for "lower quality A and B roads" with "a relatively high number" of bends or junctions and where mean speeds are already below 50mph.
DfT figures for 2010 show that 68% of road deaths in Britain took place on rural roads.
Ralph Smyth, from the Campaign to Protect Rural England, called for "a presumption that minor rural roads, the narrower winding ones, have a lower speed limit".
Now, in the cases of genuinely narrow roads, i.e. those that typically have hedges on either sides with a width of only 3m or so which have passing places and are common only in quiet areas such as Cornwall and the Highlands, I can understand this. But otherwise, 60 is fine.
As usual, Brake and the like are using the horrendously clichéd line that speed kills to back this up. It doesn't. Carelessness kills.
There are even suggestions that it is ridiculous that the difference between motorways and these roads is only 10mph. Whilst I do agree with that, I think it works both ways; not only should narrow winding roads (but only those) be 40, motorways ought to be 80...