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[Rods2]

New government proposals and outline for councils suggests so. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18840110

[chrisgixer]

It's already the norm.

[05omegav6]

It's already the norm.

Sad but true

[hoofing it]

It's already the norm.

Already exists for any goods vehicle over 7.5 ton.
There's going to be a trial on the A9 where vehicles over 7.5t will be allowed to do 50mph as the 40 is causing to many accidents with kamikaze car drivers getting impatient.

[AndyRoid]

The A30 (which is a proper dual carriageway) has had a 40 mph limit in place for years which starts at the Crooked Billet (Staines) and lasts all the way in to Hounslow.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Limits have been gradually creeping in round here on many of the rural A & B roads for years.....   

[Bigron]

Is it not ridiculous that in any other form of transport, speed is lauded as a great way to save time and money, yet as soon as speed is mentioned in connection with motoring, it becomes an emotive issue?
Where is the logic when vehicles have become safer and more capable and yet speed limits have progressively been reduced?
The true speed limitation seems to be the appalling state of the roads!
In the article it stares "a reduction to 40mph should also be considered where there is "substantial development" or where there are "a considerable number" of horse-riders, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.": if there were a serious intent to reduce accidents, maybe we should consider horse riders and cyclists inappropriate on most of today's roads and traffic conditions?

Ron.

[Kevin Wood]

Where is the logic when vehicles have become safer and more capable and yet speed limits have progressively been reduced?

What about drivers, though?

[Bigron]

I agree, Kevin - a lifetime's licence for a 17-year-old who behaves himself just long enough to pass the test, then goes and buys a hot hatch - a recipe for disaster!
Even when he grows up, if he lives long enough to do so, there are no further checks on him.
I'd be happy to see regular re-tests at, say, 5 year intervals and of sufficient duration to show the real behaviour of the testee.
Yes, Mr. Cameron, you CAN afford it, out of the $50,000,000,000 you steal from us each year, giving us back only 10%!

Ron.

[Lizzie_Zoom]

In so many cases country roads that are not A roads do only justify a 40mph limit, and even on A roads themselves in many places the lower limit is right.  However, as mentioned in the article, it is amazing that the motorway limit is only 70mph, when in many places you can legally travel at 60 on country roads.  That is what needs to be addressed; raise the motorway limit to 90 mph, or more, whilst reducing the limits elsewhere to really match the conditions of all roads.

I agree with previous comments that limits are already being reduced on many country roads, with our local A28 being a case in point.  Throughout it's length, at least South of Canterbury, 40 or 50 mph limits have now been imposed over much of it's length and it is now hard to find any distances covered by "unrestricted" regulation.

[vauxlooney]

If people seen a speed limit on country roads as just that, a LIMIT! Not a target we wouldn't have to lower them.

[05omegav6]

Lowering the limit on A roads makes no odds...

The A140 is a case in point, it runs straight from Norwich to Ipswich. They dropped the limit 40/50 along most of its length, along with no overtaking zones and a smattering of cameras a decade or so ago, yet people still kill themselves on it with regular monotony these are mostly people taking a chance when turning across the traffic into/out of one of the many side roads

Only way to make it truly safe would be to build a roundabout every two miles, with a central armco barrier along its entire length allowing only left turns.

The rural 40 limits around here are unenforced as the police didn't agree to the lowering of them, arguing that it was always the drivers responsibility to drive to the road conditions and ensuring that they could stop in the visible available distance.
Obviously if you hit a pedestrian or cyclist at 80mph around a blind bend or crest, then you deserve to be put on soap duty

If people seen a speed limit on country roads as just that, a LIMIT! Not a target we wouldn't have to lower them.

They're not targets, they're rough approximations of what some gimp in an office twenty miles away thinks might be a good idea...

If the roads were better designed then they wouldn't need to keep lowering limits in the name of safety... and the first person who suggests that it is in the name of the environment will be awoken at 3.30 am every school night by a big diesel V8 at full chat

[Sir Tigger KC]

Only way to make it truly safe would be to build a roundabout every two miles, with a central armco barrier along its entire length allowing only left turns.

I think they do this in Sweden on many of their rural single carraigeway 'A' roads. 

[Stemo]

Lowering the limit on A roads makes no odds...

The A140 is a case in point, it runs straight from Norwich to Ipswich. They dropped the limit 40/50 along most of its length, along with no overtaking zones and a smattering of cameras a decade or so ago, yet people still kill themselves on it with regular monotony these are mostly people taking a chance when turning across the traffic into/out of one of the many side roads

Only way to make it truly safe would be to build a roundabout every two miles, with a central armco barrier along its entire length allowing only left turns.

The rural 40 limits around here are unenforced as the police didn't agree to the lowering of them, arguing that it was always the drivers responsibility to drive to the road conditions and ensuring that they could stop in the visible available distance.
Obviously if you hit a pedestrian or cyclist at 80mph around a blind bend or crest, then you deserve to be put on soap duty

If people seen a speed limit on country roads as just that, a LIMIT! Not a target we wouldn't have to lower them.

They're not targets, they're rough approximations of what some gimp in an office twenty miles away thinks might be a good idea...

If the roads were better designed then they wouldn't need to keep lowering limits in the name of safety... and the first person who suggests that it is in the name of the environment will be awoken at 3.30 am every school night by a big diesel V8 at full chat

It is in the name of the environment! 3:30 you say? I'll put the kettle on 

[BazaJT]

Part of the trouble I think is that new cars have so many safety aids,ABS,airbags all over the place etc.,etc,that people are coming to believe they can drive like idiots and the car will protect them when it all goes Pete Tong.Bring back the guy with the red flag!!!