No. I based that statement purely on common sense. Actually, common sense tells me they will be designed for something slightly exceeding that speed, but just because there's a safety margin there doesn't mean it should be used up.
The trouble with the argument that "85mph would be a maximum not the normal speed everyone should drive at" is twofold:
1. If many people already drive at 85mph+ when the speed limit is 70mph, what will those same people drive at when the speed limit is legally raised?
Fuel protests starting 5469too, The majority of the cost is tax, both fuel duty and VAT, and VAT on fuel duty. Fuel duty is 47.10p per litre for both petrol and diesel...
2. Whilst all of us - I hope - match our speed to the prevailing traffic, weather, visibility and other conditions, I don't think any of us take motorway construction and barrier design into the mix. Well, we might with some of the tight bends discussed elsewhere, but there are normally at least advisory speed limits posted there.
Fuel protests starting 5468Just saw this politics thing on TV. It seems that everything is done by finding out which voters will make a difference, and then targetting everything at them. They target specific...
I believe the only way to increase speed limits on motorways would be to do so only on certain sections, and 'by exception', in other words keep m'way NSL at 70mph, but on certain new sections of road have 85mph (or whatever) signs, obviously with the appropriate legislation to allow traffic at those speeds on those sections.
Hamish
