Consultation on HGV speed limit

News of the Department for Transport's consultation on raising the speed limit on single-carriageway roads has met with the approval of the Road Haulage Association.

RHA Director of Policy Jack Semple said: "The consultation is clear and balanced and we will be responding formally in due course.

“Our key message is likely to be that the legal limit should be raised to 50 mph on suitable A-roads. This would improve efficiency and reduce congestion, as the DfT suggests. It would also improve road safety, an issue on which academics have been unable to come up with firm evidence but on which the industry has no doubt.

“What are suitable roads for a 50 mph speed limit? We suggest these can be defined in regulation as stretches of A-roads where the national speed limit for cars is in place rather than a lower limit.  Where there is a lower limit – such as 50 mph – the 40 mph limit should be retained.

“Raising the limit for HGVs in this way would be a progressive move that would have the strong support of the road haulage and logistics industry,” says Semple.