Post date: 16-Jul-2014 18:05:09

Transport ministry plan to enforce 60mph speed limits on many stretches of new "smart motorways" to aid in reducing pollution have been cancelled for now at least. Patrick Loughlin, transport secretary, has told the highways agency to have a rethink and to find other ways of improving air quality than looking to reduce motorways speeds especially as many seek to increase to 80mph with the very sophisticated modern cars we now drive.

The highways agency now has 18 months to present a new plan to its originally proposed 7.00am to 7.00pm seven day a week "go slow" on the new smart motorways being processed on the M1 in Derbyshire and south Yorkshire plus the M3 in Surrey. Should their new proposal still include a temporary speed restriction it will have to be "absolutely necessary" for the Department of Transport to give it the go-ahead. This position has been supported by the AA who have questioned the highways agencys thought processes and intentions in widening and adding extra lanes to only cut the speed limit and slow traffic down considerably over any prolonged distance? Common sense really not to do that.

The 3 "smart motorways" are part of the Conservative governments £24 billion investment into the road network by 2021 to increase capacity by 33% with the intention of improving journey times by 15%. Along with the HS2 investment this is a huge positive endeavour to bring UK transport into the 21st century for which they should be applauded. Makes a change from years of anti car attitude often displayed by some parties.

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