Had BBC wm on today about 9 30ish. Caught the end of some conversation. Asking drivers haulage firms etc. But the gist seemed to be some minister has come up with idea smart motorways should be set at 50mph 24 7. With the idea being cars trucks buses are all travelling the same speed. Cutting congestion and journey times… think heard them say be a trial in Wales 1st .Then nationwide if successful
. Did anyone hear this ?
Welsh Goverment want to put 50mph speed limit on certain roads to cut " air polution " and save lives so they say
If they made it 50mph fit cars on motorway then those who drive at 50 mph now in their cars on the motorway will drop to 40mph…they do it’s just to be ■■■■■
dci320:
Welsh Goverment want to put 50mph speed limit on certain roads to cut " air polution " and save lives so they say
If they had any kind of traffic management they would cut pollution. They have roundabouts with traffic lights which defeats the oblect of them. Many of the traffic lights are three way and the phasing is rubbish.
Rather than wasting time and money on this they should take a look at the fact that most drivers never did any training before going on a motorway and are just guessing and what they are supposed to do.
Most drivers call lane 3 the fast lane and lane 1 the slow lane, which shows how people are clueless. Every lane has the same maximum limit. LIMIT not target.
Maybe compulsory motorway tuition and testing before being allowed on could reduce congestion and save lives?
I know there’s the whole argument that some counties don’t have any motorways so how could it be implemented. But that’s for another topic.
Or self driving/autonomous cars, trucks and buses that automatically adjust a vehicles speed to current restrictions on that piece of tarmac.
Would be well worth buying that new Ferrari and only being able to do 50mph up the M6 
If we had access to all lanes to avoid the ■■■■■■■ who have no lane discipline/just want to mess you about, it might be workable.
And to think not that long ago they wanted to raise to max speed on motorways to 80mph 
Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has announced his intention to consult on raising the national speed limit on motorways from 70 to 80 miles per hour. The government plans to launch a full public consultation on the issue later this year with a view to implementing any change in early 2013.
Vehicles have changed dramatically since the current national speed limit was set in 1965. Technological advances mean that cars are significantly safer then they were - contributing to a fall of more than 75% in the number of people killed on British roads since 1965. That is why the government feels it is now time to look again at whether the speed limit set in 1965 is still appropriate.
Road safety is a top priority for the government and action is being taken to tackle uninsured driving and help police enforce against drink and drug driving. However, the government believes safety cannot be the only consideration when setting speed limits. Previous analysis shows that raising the motorway speed limit would generate significant economic benefits, worth hundreds of millions of pounds per year from savings of travel time.
Initial work by the department suggests that setting the motorway speed limit at 80 mph is likely to represent the best balance of costs and benefits and it is similar to the motorway speed limit in other EU countries.
As many as 49% of drivers currently break the 70mph limit. Ministers believe that raising the limit to 80mph would mean that millions of otherwise law-abiding motorists would be brought back inside the boundary, restoring the moral legitimacy of the system.
TiredAndEmotional:
If we had access to all lanes to avoid the [zb] who have no lane discipline/just want to mess you about, it might be workable.
The trouble with that is that there would always be heavy vehicles elephant racing and blocking all the lanes 
xichrisxi:
And to think not that long ago they wanted to raise to max speed on motorways to 80mphTransport Secretary Philip Hammond has announced his intention to consult on raising the national speed limit on motorways from 70 to 80 miles per hour. The government plans to launch a full public consultation on the issue later this year with a view to implementing any change in early 2013.
Vehicles have changed dramatically since the current national speed limit was set in 1965. Technological advances mean that cars are significantly safer then they were - contributing to a fall of more than 75% in the number of people killed on British roads since 1965. That is why the government feels it is now time to look again at whether the speed limit set in 1965 is still appropriate.
Road safety is a top priority for the government and action is being taken to tackle uninsured driving and help police enforce against drink and drug driving. However, the government believes safety cannot be the only consideration when setting speed limits. Previous analysis shows that raising the motorway speed limit would generate significant economic benefits, worth hundreds of millions of pounds per year from savings of travel time.
Initial work by the department suggests that setting the motorway speed limit at 80 mph is likely to represent the best balance of costs and benefits and it is similar to the motorway speed limit in other EU countries.
As many as 49% of drivers currently break the 70mph limit. Ministers believe that raising the limit to 80mph would mean that millions of otherwise law-abiding motorists would be brought back inside the boundary, restoring the moral legitimacy of the system.
I think what would be much more likely to happen would be that most people would still think it’s acceptable and the norm to do 10mph over the speed limit and drive at 90mph.
Sixties boy:
Or self driving/autonomous cars, trucks and buses that automatically adjust a vehicles speed to current restrictions on that piece of tarmac.Would be well worth buying that new Ferrari and only being able to do 50mph up the M6
Many years ago I lived on an island with a maximum speed limit of 35 mph, but the rich still had their Ferrari Dinos, E types and Aston Martins.
As someone mentioned a lot of lights need rephasing junctions looking at. And I don’t know why we can’t adopt a system used is a few countrys. And let us turn left at a red light junctions if the coast is clear
Which translates as far more revenue raising opportunities for speeding ‘offences’ by applying a 50 mph limit to a road designed for 90 mph + thereby keeping taxes down for the rich.Also criminalising drivers to the point where a 3 point offence then becomes 6 points and/or a ban.
Also why would anyone with any sense want to use a motorway at speeds more or less similar to other roads with all the extra aggro of inevitably being trapped for hours between junctions in a massive unavoidable jam at some point.IE what’s in it for the road user.No surprise the big business rail operators are intended to benefit from this ever increasing ratcheting up of the war against the road user.
tachograph:
TiredAndEmotional:
If we had access to all lanes to avoid the [zb] who have no lane discipline/just want to mess you about, it might be workable.The trouble with that is that there would always be heavy vehicles elephant racing and blocking all the lanes
Wouldn’t matter though if the limit was 50 as we wouldn’t be holding anyone up. Well, no one who wanted to stick to the limit anyway.
Besides, car drivers hold us up enough. I’m lucky if I can hit 45mph on the M4 at the moment between 13 and 12 even when the motorway is mostly empty. Always some clown wanting to do 40.
I saw a car a few days ago in the contraflow on the other side where it’s single lane and he was doing about 38 with a huge queue behind him. Clueless morons 
I was talking to a guy earlier who reckons the whole point of the “smart” motorways is to reduce the speed limit by stealth.
I can’t remember the last time I drove past the section at Bristol when there wasn’t a reduced limit displayed
Wouldn’t take much to convert Smart motorway into pay as you go tolls like Belgium.
Cutting journey times by reducing speed
speed divided by time would say otherwise… 
Terry T:
tachograph:
TiredAndEmotional:
If we had access to all lanes to avoid the [zb] who have no lane discipline/just want to mess you about, it might be workable.The trouble with that is that there would always be heavy vehicles elephant racing and blocking all the lanes
Wouldn’t matter though if the limit was 50 as we wouldn’t be holding anyone up. Well, no one who wanted to stick to the limit anyway.
Besides, car drivers hold us up enough. I’m lucky if I can hit 45mph on the M4 at the moment between 13 and 12 even when the motorway is mostly empty. Always some clown wanting to do 40.
I saw a car a few days ago in the contraflow on the other side where it’s single lane and he was doing about 38 with a huge queue behind him. Clueless morons
Cannot understand why some get so peed off with cars going slowly. They are allowed. Either sit behind them at a safe distance or if you have the power pass them.
jakethesnake:
Terry T:
tachograph:
TiredAndEmotional:
If we had access to all lanes to avoid the [zb] who have no lane discipline/just want to mess you about, it might be workable.The trouble with that is that there would always be heavy vehicles elephant racing and blocking all the lanes
Wouldn’t matter though if the limit was 50 as we wouldn’t be holding anyone up. Well, no one who wanted to stick to the limit anyway.
Besides, car drivers hold us up enough. I’m lucky if I can hit 45mph on the M4 at the moment between 13 and 12 even when the motorway is mostly empty. Always some clown wanting to do 40.
I saw a car a few days ago in the contraflow on the other side where it’s single lane and he was doing about 38 with a huge queue behind him. Clueless morons
Cannot understand why some get so peed off with cars going slowly. They are allowed. Either sit behind them at a safe distance or if you have the power pass them.
Because the whole point of motorways is to move between A to B quickly doesn’t happen on the continent you can overtake more cars on the M20 from Dover to London than you will in a week of driving in Europe. If you want to sightsee then take the scenic route.
jakethesnake:
Terry T:
tachograph:
TiredAndEmotional:
If we had access to all lanes to avoid the [zb] who have no lane discipline/just want to mess you about, it might be workable.The trouble with that is that there would always be heavy vehicles elephant racing and blocking all the lanes
Wouldn’t matter though if the limit was 50 as we wouldn’t be holding anyone up. Well, no one who wanted to stick to the limit anyway.
Besides, car drivers hold us up enough. I’m lucky if I can hit 45mph on the M4 at the moment between 13 and 12 even when the motorway is mostly empty. Always some clown wanting to do 40.
I saw a car a few days ago in the contraflow on the other side where it’s single lane and he was doing about 38 with a huge queue behind him. Clueless morons
Cannot understand why some get so peed off with cars going slowly. They are allowed. Either sit behind them at a safe distance or if you have the power pass them.
My issue is those that do 50-52 so you pull out get halfway past and they realise they are being overtaken and accelerate ahead. Repeat a few miles later.
Does help if you can’t overtake due to road works and they are trundling along