increasing the motorway speed limit to 80mph

[Mitsuru]

The government has said that they are going to look into
increasing the motorway speed to 80 mph or more.
Do you think they will?

[OneCarefulOwner]

I think they'll try, but it's not going to do what they want. It's being implied that it'll boost the economy by enabling quicker distribution... Well, unless they're also paying for all the artics to have their 56mph limiters removed & engines uprated, and a comprehensive re-education system for people sitting in the middle lane, I don't see it happening!

[suffolkpete]

The higher speeds on the continent work because lane discipline is a lot better. I don't think I'd drive faster anyway, once you get into those speeds, fuel consumption increases quite significantly. If the government really wants to reduce journey times, they could make a significant difference just by removing the toll booths at the Dartford Crossing.

[rich.]

you mean there are speed limits on motorways?

[TerryG]

They were talking about raising it to 80 before the election so it's not a new proposal.
It would be great if they did it but they do also need to give penalties for those fools that don't know how the lane system works. My brother inlaw is a haulier and always complains that his lorries are limited to 56 but the speed limit is 60. Changing it is only software on newer equipment so could be done at a scheduled inspection if they did want to increase it but as the 56mph is a european thing i doubt it will happen.
Personally i think a bigger improvement could be made by stopping lorries overtaking at peek times. Now i commute to work by driving every traffic que i come across is where a lorry is overtaking another one where the speed difference is less than 1mph.

[Mrotwoman]

I would be happy doing 8 mph on a Friday evening on the M25

I don't think raising the speed limit is the solution,better lane dicipline is though.

[rich.]

stopping lorries at peak times? thats daft..dont you have anything that was delivered by them? what about the school run? ive seen one woman drive her kids 500 metres to school. what the uk needs is more of the old branch lines re opening to reduce cars on the road.

[Mitsuru]

stopping lorries at peak times?
Thats daft..don't you have anything that was delivered by them?
What about the school run? I've seen one woman drive her kids 500 metres to school.
what the uk needs is more of the old branch lines re opening, to reduce cars on the road.

If they had more of the old branch lines then there would be less need for HGV's on the motorways
going from the ports to the other end of the country.
That would reduce rolling roadblocks caused when they try to overtake on dual carriage ways!

[rich.]

it would also get people off the roads for school runs & going to work... i cant quite see a train pulling up outside the local shop to deliver a pallet... getting trucks off the road so it creates space for cars is pointless, get commuters off the road first.. leave the roads for me

[TerryG]

When did i say stopping lorries at peek times?!?!
i said stopping lorries OVERTAKING at peek times. They do it in Germany and it had an amazing effect on traffic flow!