80 MPH proposed maximum speed limit in 2 years time

[driveace]

The government,are considering raising the speed limit on Motorways to 80MPH from 2013,as the present limit was set over 40 years ago when cars were not as mechanically advanced as todays modern cars.
We still have the "Greens" saying why are we polluting so much,why not leave the limit as it is.
My new Mercedes C220 Sport,should do 68 MPG at a constant 80MPH according to the salesman,when I asked why at 80MPH,he said "That,s what the speed limit ,is mostly on German roads"
Your views?

[Sonic]

WOOT!

As someone who sticks religiously to the limits it will make a big difference to my journey times, but perhaps a similar system to over the channel with lower speed limits enforced in poor weather.

In the greater scheme of things, 70mph is painfully slow, so it's well due for a fresh look.

[Knock-on]

Good to see a bit of common sense at last.

[Rollo]

That would bring the UK into line with Italy's Autostrada and France's Autoroutes, both of which are posted at 130km/h

Aside:
I spent Wednesday driving from Brisbane to Sydney on 110km/h motorways (68mph) and I figure that just increasing the motorway speed by 10km/h would have saved an hour in travelling times.

Even though the UK is entirely smaller than Australia (which is vast an unwieldy), putting the speed limits higher would mean that people get to their destination faster, which means that they will tend to suffer less from fatigue.
Motorways are surprisingly safe places when it comes to road safety. Most road accidents happen in populated areas where there's more stuff to hit; motorway traffic is all heading in the same direction.

[Bolton Midnight]

Won't really make much difference to me as I tend to do 90+ usually on motorways (when I can which isn't often), but if folk still insist on doing 50 when they join or leave it may cause more accidents, be nice if there was a minimum speed and that was enforced more.

Will 80 on M Ways come at the expense of 60 as national speed limit though? 50mph on B and C roads would kill off road rallying.

[Mark]

A bit of posturing ahead of the party conference. It'll never happen.

[Bolton Midnight]

I think it will, it makes sense, aligns us with most of Europe, will be popular with the majority. The Tories want to get rid of a lot of the Labouresque silly rules/regs.

[Rollo]

The Tories want to get rid of a lot of the Labouresque silly rules/regs.

Speed limits on the motorways were introduced in 1965. The legislation to do this which amended the Special Roads Act 1949, was passed in 1964 whilst Alec Douglas-Home was the PM... he was a Tory.
Speed limits on the motorways are a Toryesque silly rule/reg?

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Lets just hope we don't get a new AC Cobra.

[Bolton Midnight]

well misunderstood

hence why I said Labouresque, I'm well aware of when the 70mph came into being

They want to simplify things, remove the Nanny State, bit more self reliance