There is still a chance the Government will raise the motorway speed limit to 80mph, according to Transport Minister Stephen Hammond, who said the Coalition remained divided on the topic.
The Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond, had reportedly dropped the issue over concerns that the Tories would lose female votes if they went ahead with the limit change. A recent poll suggested 40 per cent of women were against the rise.
But Stephen Hammond said the government had “not stopped work” on the idea.
The issue has dropped off the back burner due to more pressing issues as well as the idea’s unpopularity with women. But Philip Hammond remains a “great supporter of 80 miles per hour. He thinks it's the right thing to do,” according to Stephen Hammond.
Figures within the Government recognise that many drivers already drive at 80mph, one of the fundamental arguments for a speed limit change. An 81mph speed limit is already in force in Italy and France, while Germany generally has no restrictions on its autobahns.
Critics however have suggested that enforcement will be costly; speed cameras will need to be installed across the motorway network in order to make the limit workable.
Philip Hammond had introduced the idea of an 80mph speed limit at the 2011 Conservative Party Conference, saying that raising the limit would benefit the country’s economy by hundreds of millions of pounds in improved journey times. However, it seems that faster journey times are already being enjoyed by many UK motorists, as recent studies have shown that more than 50% of drivers break the 70mph speed limit.
As a provider of insurance for car breakdown situations, road safety is at the heart of everything we do at here at startrescue.co.uk, so we are always keen to understand our customers’ viewpoints on these issues. Do you believe an 80mph limit is necessary or workable? As ever, please leave your thoughts below.
Breakdown Cover from 
