The Department for Transport (DfT) has denied that any decision has been made to reduce the speed limit on rural roads from 60mph to 50mph.
Reports circulated this week, speculating that ministers were about to change the current speed limit found on most single-carriageway roads in rural areas without making any change to signs.
However, the DfT has revealed that any such proposal would have to be based on ‘robust evidence’. A spokesman said the impact on casualties, emissions and journey times would need to be scrutinised. He added that the ‘issues of enforcement and public acceptability’ would also have to be considered.
Last year, a government-ordered review of A and B-road speed limits said that routes would qualify for lower limits where mean speeds were already around 50mph. Reports suggested that average-speed cameras could be used to police the new speed limits, should they be introduced by local authorities.
David Frost, of the LARSOA, said: ‘It’s a dangerous and often-lethal misconception that rural roads are safer because there is less traffic and fewer pedestrians than in urban areas, and any speed limit should be set according to the individual road and local environment. ‘Moreover, speed limits are just that – an upper limit, and road-users should always be driving according to the conditions they are facing at the time.’
Frost called for the continued improvement of education and training for motorists to help them make ‘informed choices while they are travelling on the roads’. He added: ‘Driving too fast for the conditions remains a major cause of collisions on rural roads as drivers don’t consider unforeseen hazards.’
Last year, Hampshire County Council launched the ‘choose 30’ initiative to persuade motorists to slow down in villages. Signs were erected in 43 villages which had their speed limit cut to 30mph, and a further 61 villages will follow suit this spring.
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