Polluting Motorway Speed limit may be cut to 60mph

[albion]

http://bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25619914

On the face of it this sounds like it will have to be enforced and overall looks positive news.
It will cut deaths, lower pollution, for some reason decreasing traffic congestion, and cut fuel usage.

Seems the RAC was right and the, far too irresponsible AA ,wrong
I owe the RAC an apology in my 20mph thread. I mixed te RAC up with the AA.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I predict an apoplectic Pickles And good thinking from the Highways Agency. Let's see whether it disappears in a puff of particulates...

 

[jazzkat]

Average speed cameras on motorways would sort it straight away. You've only got to see how the traffic flows without people tailgating and causing the brake light wave-effect-thingy.
Everyone travelling along nicely at a steady speed was probably what the motorway designers were thinking all those years ago.

 

[albion]

The changes to 80mph would have been massive, increasing diesel emission by up to 25% and petrol 15%. for he +10mph change.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/sep/30/speed-limit-rise-deaths-pollution


It sounds good to me. Its those crazy lorry domino overtaking that often causes disasters. If only they could all manage 60mph uphill !

 

[DRHysted]

I'm presuming that they are getting the mpg figures from the manufacturers, as mine returns it's best at 3000rpm in 5th, which is not 60mph. This is from results gained from my own personal vehicle, others may get different results.

 

[DCLane]

That section of the M1 is one of only two where you can get your speed at atm, the other being J21 - J23A in Leicestershire.

The rest is just slow!

 

[youngoldbloke]

When this stretch is really busy you are lucky to reach 60 and aren't trucks (the biggest contributors to pollution) limited to 60 anyway? How would this work?

 

[mcshroom]

That section of the M1 is one of only two where you can get your speed at atm, the other being J21 - J23A in Leicestershire.

The rest is just slow!

As someone who grew up in Rotherham I wouldn't agree. Thorp Hesley (J35) south to Tinsley tends (J34) to back up (northwards between J34-J35 can get very busy but tends to keep moving), The Parkway (J33) often has queues in both directions spilling back onto the Motorway and the M18 Junction (J32) also frequently has queues in both directions. It tends to thin out a bit south of that, mainly because it goes from being a motorway through the urban conurbation of South Yorkshire (for most of the stretch I've covered it is the defacto boundary between Sheffield and Rotherham) out into a less populated area.

I would prefer proper active management like what has been instaled o the M62, M25 and M42, with variable speed limits, but for large chunks of the day even reaching 60mph is unlikely.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Average speed cameras on motorways would sort it straight away. You've only got to see how the traffic flows without people tailgating and causing the brake light wave-effect-thingy.
Everyone travelling along nicely at a steady speed was probably what the motorway designers were thinking all those years ago.

I'm a regular on this section of the M1. Average speed cameras have been there for quite a while already. They're just not switched on.

*Deleted next paragraphy bit as I didn't read write*

 

[albion]

I spoke to soon. The RAC are now appealing to the male ego.
Who would have known that the whole question was also a male versus female thing.
Males being 'speed and destroy' and females 'protect and preserve'?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/10555266/60mph-motorway-limit-threatens-economy-says-RAC.html
Supposedly the Tories abandoned 80mph because it might have alienated women.

With claims that this eases congestion by preventing dimino effect of lane changing/breaking, are not the RAC are being disingenuous in describing this as a threat to the economy?

 

[GrasB]

Average speed cameras on motorways would sort it straight away. You've only got to see how the traffic flows without people tailgating and causing the brake light wave-effect-thingy.

In my experience average speed cameras & very high density traffic promotes tail gating & cutting up causing overly aggressive braking. I've found that 30-50mph back road driving is actually more fuel efficient than the A14 in my Alfa due to regularly dropping off the bottom of 5th gear on the A14.

They work okay at lower traffic densities but you can get awful bunching & very dramatic speed changes if you get a perpetual lorry race going on the in nearside lanes.

 

[Linford]

Why would this Motorway issue be debated in campaigns and public policy in the cycling section ?

 

[theclaud]

Why would this Motorway issue be debated in campaigns and public policy in the cycling section ?

It's about transport policy. Some us us cherish notions of joined-upness. What's the problem?

 

[Linford]

It's about transport policy. Some us us cherish notions of joined-upness. What's the problem?

I cannot ever see a day when cycles will be allowed on the motorways. I do not see any relevance in this subject on a cycling policy debating board.

 

[User482]

I cannot ever see a day when cycles will be allowed on the motorways. I do not see any relevance in this subject on a cycling policy debating board.

Look on the bright side: if it were in Current Affairs and Debates, we wouldn't have the great benefit of your wisdom.