60mph limits on motorways to beat pollution
SPEED limits on parts of the motorway network may be slashed to 60mph in a bid to cut air pollution.
Ministers are assessing the environmental impact of cutting speeds, with trials on the M1 expected as soon as this summer.
The Government’s controversial air quality strategy this week identified two stretches of motorway needing urgent attention – the M4 in London and the M32 near Bristol.
However, the strategy admitted that reducing the limit from 70mph may have no impact on roads that are already congested.
And variable speed limits mean part of the M4 heading into the capital from near Heathrow already has a 60mph limit on average.
Previous work by Highways England suggests pollution limits are regularly breached on a number of motorways.
Data released by the agency in 2015 revealed that the entire M60 around Manchester and long stretches of the M25 around London regularly saw pollution levels breach legal limits.
A stretch of the M1 near Sheffield was also identified as a pollution hotspot, and is likely to be one of the first to test lower speed limits to control emissions.
Local MPs were warned that rush hour restrictions were likely after a report by engineering company Mouchel recommended a 60mph limit at peak times.
Tory MP Charlie Elphicke questioned whether cutting speed limits would make a significant difference on roads that are already heavily congested.
Mr Elphicke said: ‘ It seems bizarre to be considering cutting the speed limit to 60 on roads where it is practically impossible to drive that fast because of the level of congestion.
‘Anyone who drives regularly on the M25 for example, will know it is often hard to do more than 40mph. Air pollution is a serious matter and must be tackled. But it is important the Government doesn’t allow it to be used as a smokescreen by the anti-car lobby to have another go at motorists.’
The move comes just two years after then transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin suggested improvements in car safety meant the speed limit could be raised to 80mph on some motorways.
But officials now believe evidence in other countries shows that cutting speed limits could make a significant difference to air pollution levels.
The Netherlands cut speed limits on some main roads more than a decade ago and studies found that the move ‘led to a significant decrease’ of nitrogen oxide emissions.
The Energy Savings Trust estimates that a diesel car driving at 75mph uses an average 17.7 per cent more fuel than one at 60mph.
The new air quality strategy suggested that cutting the speed limit to 60mph on polluted motorways could make a significant difference to emission levels.
But it acknowledged that the science was uncertain, saying: ‘It is possible that failing motorway links tend to be busier and more heavily congested, and that average speeds on them are lower.
‘In this case, a change in the speed limit may have little impact on air quality – because cars are already travelling at speeds below the limit.’
‘Smokescreen for anti-car lobby’