TRTA accepts 60 mph motorway limit
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• The Transport Road Transport Association has accepted the MoT proposal, contained in the booklet How Fast? for a 60 mph speed limit on motorways for heavy goods vehicles lover 3 ton unladen weight).
Acceptance of this reduction in the present permitted speed was given on the understanding that the limit would be kept under close and frequent review, particularly in the light of technical developments.
The TRTA felt that even within two or three years it would be possible to increase this limit for certain commercial vehicles without any detrimental effect on road safety. This would probably involve speed plating, and would be practical for new vehicles once type approval was introduced. With other vehicles it might be linked with the annual test scheme.
Commercial vehicles generally should be permitted to travel at 50 mph on dualcarriageway roads, said the TRTA. On these roads, many of which differed only slightly from the main motorways, a speed limit of 40 mph was unrealistic, and resulted in a nuisance and perhaps even a road safety hazard to other road users.
For vehicles of less than 30cwt unladen weight the Association felt that the present 40 mph limit should be increased to the suggested 50 mph. It accepted that although a case can be made out for complete exemption from vehicle limits, for these vehicles, this was undesirable in present conditions.