Government proposes 60mph limit for 32 miles of M1

A reduced speed limit of 60mph has been proposed by the government on a specific section of the M1. The reduction, which would be in place between junction 28 for Matlock and junction 35a, just north of Rotherham, is in order to improve air quality and would apply between 7am and 7pm every day.

But some organisations are worried that reducing the speed limit will increase congestion and lengthen journey times on a section of motorway that is already very busy.

Variable speed surveys

Variable speed limits are used successfully on most motorways in the UK network, allowing traffic managers to keep traffic flowing wherever possible, but the new proposals go one step further. By enforcing a 10mph reduction in speed for 12 hours per day, motoring bodies such as the RAC say that the impact would be more negative than positive.

The Highways Agency, which has put a document on the issue out to consultation said that the change will reduce congestion, improve journey time and make the motorway network more reliable. It anticipates that, should the new limit be introduced, it would remain for several years. There is also the possibility of extending lower limits to other areas of the road network if this initial scheme works well.

Would lower speed reduce pollution?

Not everyone is convinced that lowering the speed of vehicles would have a big enough impact on air pollution to counteract the other potential consequences of the policy. Some commentators have pointed out that the most polluting vehicles are lorries, which are speed limited anyway, and that cleaner engineering and more environmentally friendly cars means that air quality will improve naturally over the coming years.

Insightful speed surveys

If you need to find out more about the speed traffic flowing on roads in your area, or around your development, call us today. Our tailored surveys and detailed data collection give you the information you need to make informed, insightful decisions that have a positive impact on road users and those who live and work nearby.

To find out more, just call us today.

Classified Counts | Speed Surveys | Video Surveys | Parking Surveys | Public Transport Surveys