Speed limits on Scottish roads to be reviewed

SPEED limits on Scottish roads are to be reviewed.

The review will consider the environmental benefits of cutting top speeds against the economic argument for allowing traffic to travel faster.

The rethink has been prompted by the passing of the Scotland Act earlier this year, which devolved powers over setting speed limits and drink drive limits to Scotland.

But it has been branded a waste of time by motoring organisations, who said itwould duplicate a recently completed national review of speed limits on trunk roadswhich has recommended cutting the top permissible speed by 10mph at dozens of locations, including arterial routes such as the A9 and A82. Both the Institute of Advanced Motorists andAutomobile Association have already criticised government agency Transport Scotland for promoting an “inconsistent” message to drivers as it emerged that it had rejected recommendations to increase the top permissible speed at 23 further sites.

A Transport Scotland spokesman stressed the review would not necessarilyalter government policy but would be conducted among road safety experts.

The ScottishGovernment had earlier ruled out increasing the speed limitfrom70mphto80mph on motorways in line with a proposals still being considered south of the Border and officials had previously said there were no plans to change national speed limits.