Government plans 80mph motorway speed limit

Any changes will be made in 2013

The Government are planning to launch a full public consultation on the motorway speed limit being raised from 70 to 80mph.

There is a view to implement any change in early 2013.

Technological advances mean that cars are significantly safer then they were - contributing to a fall of more than 75 per cent in the number of people killed on British roads since the national speed limit was set in 1965.

The Government believes safety cannot be the only consideration when setting speed limits, as previous analysis shows that raising the motorway speed limit would generate significant economic benefits, worth hundreds of millions of pounds per year from savings of travel time.

Initial work by the Department suggests that setting the motorway speed limit at 80 mph is likely to represent the best balance of costs and benefits and it is similar to the motorway speed limit in other EU countries.

As many as 49 per cent of drivers currently break the 70mph limit, and ministers believe that raising the limit to 80mph would see millions of otherwise law-abiding motorists brought back inside the boundary, restoring the moral legitimacy of the system.

Philip Hammond said: "I want to make sure that our motorway speed limit reflects the reality of modern vehicles and driving conditions, not those of 50 years ago."


"While we must ensure that our roads remain among the safest in the world, we must also consider the huge economic benefits that can be created by shortening journey times."


Further information:
Department for Transport