By Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Raising motorway speed limits to 80mph to boost the economy is based on fantasy economics and a flawed system for appraising transport policy and projects, says charity Sustrans.
Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has announced proposals for the introduction of 80mph limits to Britain’s motorways at the Conservative Party Conference, arguing that the increased limit will boost the economy by hundreds of millions each year, particularly by cutting journey times for workers.
But, Sustrans wants to see some robust evidence that supports this.
Jason Torrance, Sustrans' Acting Policy Director, says; “The decision-making behind this proposed increase in motorway speeds is based on fantasy economics that assigns big financial savings to small time savings. The idea that if five minutes is saved on a journey, then more time can productively be spent at work simply isn’t the case.”
Faster speeds are likely to hit people financially – cars use up to 9 per cent more fuel at 70mph than at 60mph – and won’t help the UK meet legal obligations to cut emissions - cars produce almost 10 per cent more emissions at 70mph than at 60mph. Indeed the UK Committee on Climate Change has recommended a reduction in motorway speed limits to 60mph.
Jason continues; “We urgently need the government to tackle the financial pressures that many people are facing in this country rather than penalising car drivers by suggesting that they use more fuel. We need a transport strategy that is supported by a fair and balanced appraisal system. This means the benefits of investment in public transport, walking and cycling need to be properly measured and valued, and all of the costs associated with car travel and increased speed need to be properly taken into account.”
What is it with our obsession with speed?
This is more stupid even than the proposed high-speed rail to Birmingham which is meant to get travellers to that city from London within 35 minutes or such.
Even those that are travelling this route daily almost for meetings and whatever else have said, in the same way as I have, that we don't need faster trains for Birmingham and elsewhere. What we need is a better and more reliable service that will get you there in an hour-and-a-half or such and where trains depart hourly.
The same is true for all destinations and had we a proper railway system that did work in such reliable fashion our roads would be faster simply by being less congested.
The minister must not be living in the real world – but then, it would appear, very few in the Palace of Westminster do – suggesting to put the speed limit up to 80mph. Where can you drive such speed, safely, unless in the dark of night when no one is using the roads.
The majority of our motorways do not even make is possible to use the current 70mph in general due to sheer weight of traffic.
I must say I have experienced roads that do not – or did not then – have speed limits, such as German motorways (Autobahnen) but even there high speeds can only be used really when the roads are clean, such as during the night.
Let's get back into the realm of reality and look at getting a proper public transport infrastructure sorted out and thus bring people from their cars into trains and buses. And that also means a proper, regular, bus and train service in the rural areas of this country, even if it means the equivalent of the rail bus, as found in Europe and South America, which is a single engine carriage running on the rails.
It is not rocket science; it has been done and is being done elsewhere. But 80mph on Britain's motorways is a recipe for disaster in more than one respect.
© 2011
