Should the Motorway speed limit be raised to 80mph ?

Should the Motorway speed limit be raised to 80mph?

Case for Yes

It’s about time the speed limits on motorways and dual carriageways are increased to match  EU states. Driving at  80mph, where it’s safe to do so, would lead to  positive benefits to the economy, travel times, congestion and driver stress .

 With modern technology, cars’ stopping distances are so much less than 20 years ago and  majority of drivers drive at this speed without being prosecuted. In a FairFuelUK survey of 26,000 drivers, 4 out of 5 respondents thought an 80mph limit is now acceptable and should be introduced. But, if the speed limit is to be changed to 80mph officially, there is of course a risk that the new default breaking of the limit becomes even higher. But that could be countered by having severe punishments for anyone driving over 80mph and more police patrols.

 Our motorways are relatively safe to drive  roads on the entire network and, combined with the high safety quality of modern vehicles, it justifies increasing the legal limit.

 With  smart motorways and their information gantries, variable mandatory speed control could be enacted to suit conditions such as bad weather and congestion, so ensuring safety is the paramount consideration.

Case for No

Essentially, the question of  80mph limit is one of safety. Would increasing the speed limit to 80mph make motorways less safe? Evidence gathered in 2012 from our friends at the RAC Foundation found that increasing the limit on motorways could result in an extra 18 fatalities per year and a rise in overall collisions, though of course, journey times would be marginally quicker.
There is  also be concerns about default speeds. At present, the RAC’s research suggests that just over half of drivers admit to breaking the current motorway speed limit, and the average highest speed drivers admit to doing is closer to 80mph. How would we then guarantee that increasing the limit to 80mph would not lead to those drivers already admitting to breaking the current limit, driving at 90mph instead? Finally, smart motorways, where the hard shoulder has been converted into a permanent running lane, are becoming ever more prevalent as a way to increase capacity. While the prospect of breaking down in a live lane with no hard shoulder is already frightening, it would be even more so with vehicles potentially travelling at 80mph towards stationary vehicles.

What do you think ?

NEW ROAD TAX COULD BE PAY AS YOU DRIVE

Motorists could soon be billed for road use on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Government collects about £40 billion each year from   Car taxes like Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) and fuel duty.

The House of Commons’ Transport Committee now wants to open a “national debate” on road pricing ahead of a formal inquiry next year.

Funding from fuel duty might eventually dry up entirely, as the motoring industry moves away from traditional fuels.

A road pricing scheme was last considered in 2007, but the Labour administration abandoned proposals following an online petition attracting 1.8 million signatures.

RAC head of roads policy, Nicholas Lyes said: “There is no question that the existing fuel duty system is on borrowed time as we move towards electric and other zero emission forms of car travel.

“We know through research that drivers are open to a new form of motoring taxation but three-quarters of those we questioned are worried they may end up paying more tax than they do now. For this reason, we believe any new tax should be in place of the current one and not in addition to it.”

Lilian Greenwood, who chairs the Transport Committee, said: “We need to ask how we will pay for roads in the future and in answering that question we have an opportunity for a much wider debate about our use of road space, cutting carbon emissions, tackling congestion, modal shift and how we prioritise active travel.”

The committee is inviting the opinions of drivers and non-drivers to scrutinise the economic, environmental and social impact of road pricing in early 2020.

Road pricing efforts could include tolls, congestion charges, HGV levies, workplace parking levies, plus low emission and clean air zones.

Similar levies such as London’s Congestion Charge raised £1.9bn in 2017.

Yellow Box Fines to hit whole of UK

Drivers across the country will soon be liable for £130 fines for offences like stopping in yellow box junctions, the Government has indicated

 October 2019

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps looks set to hand all local councils legislative powers to crack down on ‘moving traffic violations’ – currently only available to London and Cardiff.

Local authorities know where congestion might require some form of enforcement, particularly in the case of box junctions, so it stands to reason they should be able to improve this through the use of enforcement

While accepting the move broadly makes sense, there are concerns that some councils could use their new powers as a cash cow.

Under the Traffic Management Act 2004, councils must apply for powers to tackle parking, bus lane contraventions and moving traffic violations. Many have taken measures to enforce parking and bus lane contraventions, but not moving traffic violations.

Members of the committee had raised concerns that police officers are too busy policing minor offences to deal with more serious crimes.

Mr Shapps said: “I have been looking at powers outside of London provided to local areas to do some of these things, and think that I’ll shortly be making an announcement.”

Transport for London has been penalising drivers for stopping in yellow box junctions for 15 years. In the 2017/18 financial year alone, it issued £16 million in fines.

In many cases drivers claim stopping was unavoidable – either because of traffic light sequencing, or because of drivers ahead of them blocking their path.

Drivers are allowed to wait in a box junction to turn right, providing their exit road is clear.

Driving Licences revoked in 2018

Driving Licences revoked last year 11953 after getting 6 Penalty Points

Dozens of new drivers had their licence revoked on a daily basis in 2018

Figures obtained via a freedom of information request to the DVLA – show 11,953 drivers had their licence revoked under the New Drivers Act last year, an average of 33 per day.

The legislation states  drivers who get six or more penalty points within two years of passing their test have their licence revoked  If they wish to drive again, they are required to :

·         Re-apply and pay for a new provisional licence and

·         Pass their theory test again, the multiple and hazard perception

·          Practical parts of the driving or riding test again.

 Drivers aged 17-24 years made up almost two thirds (62%) of the total number of licences revoked.

Road Safety Charity Brake is calling on government to do more to ensure young drivers are safe on the roads.

It is also calling for the introduction of a comprehensive Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system across the UK. The Government’s announcement that they will explore the issue of GDL further is welcome, but  Swift and decisive action must be taken quickly to introduce GDL across the UK, as a priority to ensure new drivers have the skills and experience they need and to end this tragedy of young people dying on our roads.”

Student Drivers urged to drive when Tired and with overloaded cars

Take Care loading your Car -
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StudentsDrivers are reminded to make sure they have loaded their vehicle correctly and carried out basic vehicle checks before setting off to college or university this Freshers season’ 

Highways England is urging those travelling away to study for the first time to make sure they don’t overload their vehicle and to avoid getting behind the wheel while tired. 

Highways England surveyed more than 1400 students ahead of starting  Freshers season. Highways England is the organisation responsible for running England’s major A-road and motorway network. The survey shows

·         6 out of 10 students would carry on driving, even if they may have overloaded their car.

·         7 out of 10 students have driven while tired. 

With many young people likely to be moving away from home to university accommodation, Highways England is calling on students to ‘check it before driving it’ and says people should avoid packing everything .

Richard Leonard, head of road safety at Highways England, said:  

“We want everyone to get to their destination safely and we can all play a part in that. We know that this is an incredibly exciting time for students with many leaving home for the first time. 

“Our traffic officers are there to help get things moving if there’s a problem. But we’d urge all students to make sure they load their car correctly before setting off as they could be endangering themselves and other road users.” 

Advice for loading vehicles correctly, includes:   

• Place heavy luggage on the boot floor, directly behind the rear seat backrest so that it can’t move or fall over in to the free space.  
• Put light luggage on top of the large cases and cover it with a blanket and secure it all with a strap otherwise loose objects can turn into dangerous projectiles, especially if the luggage exceeds the height of the rear seat. 
• Heavy luggage can be safely stored in the space between the front and rear seats.  
• Store small and light objects that you do not necessarily need while driving behind the front seat or in vacuum bags which fit neatly into the storage space under the seats.  
• Put anything particularly heavy in the boot and not unrestrained on the back seat and secure the load if carrying anything externally on the car eg a roof box or bike. 

• Drivers should still be able to see in their mirrors when driving.  
• If people aren’t sure about the car’s official weight limit they should check their handbook. If they feel they are close to the limit they can go to a weighbridge to check.  
• Drivers should make sure they have the right insurance, especially if using other people’s vehicles and are sharing the driving or towing a trailer 

Highways England traffic officer Kelly Rudge is keen all students take time to make sure their vehicles are loaded properly and are ready to take to the road. 

Kelly said: “It’s really important that students check their vehicle before setting off and to make sure that they don’t overload them as it could cause serious danger to themselves and other motorists.  

“Simple things like putting heavy loads in the boot and keeping loose items inside the car secured can all help to keep the occupants safe if the vehicle comes to a sudden stop. The last thing anyone wants is to be hit by an object that isn’t secure.” 

Yellow Box Kunctions

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Drivers views over Yellow Box Junctions

While some councils are apparently keen to have additional powers to catch drivers who stop in yellow box junctions, new RAC research suggests 80% of motorists struggle to get through them without stopping

RAC survey found, 67% of respondents had difficulty getting through ‘some’ yellow boxes without stopping, while 13% said this is the case for ‘most’ of the junctions they encounter.

78% of those who experienced difficulty said the problem is very often caused by poor sequencing of traffic lights.

32% blame their infringement on the fact so many other drivers break the rules that it forces them to do the same.

However, 13% of respondents said every yellow box junction is ‘easy to negotiate’ without coming to a halt.

At the moment,  only local authorities in London and Cardiff are able to enforce yellow box junctions with cameras, and issue Penalty Charge Notice (PCNs).

However, many more councils in England and Wales would like to use cameras to enforce these road junctions.

The RAC says declining number of roads policing officers means there is currently little or no enforcement of the offence in other areas – leading to calls for a roll-out of camera enforcement.

36% of respondents to the RAC survey believe councils should be able to issue PCNs – while an additional 36% agreed they ought to have the power, but should limit enforcement only to problem junctions.

RAC spokesperson, said: “Our research shows yellow box junctions are a very divisive issue with drivers.

“While the majority are in favour of councils more widely being allowed to use cameras to catch offenders, there is a strong feeling that many junctions are not set up fairly which leads to drivers having no choice but stop in them, whether that’s due to poor traffic light sequencing, poor design or being used in the wrong place.

“The RAC is generally supportive of local authorities having the power to enforce yellow box junctions because of the value of local knowledge, but has concerns that it could lead to local authorities being inconsistent in their application of road traffic law.

“There is also a risk that cash-strapped authorities may see it as a lucrative revenue stream. To prevent this, we think warning letters for a first contravention would be appropriate.

“We therefore believe it is essential that every  yellow Box Junction where a camera is installed is comprehensively tested to ensure it is easy to negotiate without stopping.”

10 Most Common Reasons for failing Driving Test in the UK during 2018 are revealed by DVSA data.

10 Most Common Reasons for failing  Driving Test in the UK  during 2018 are revealed by DVSA data.

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Every year millions of new motorists take the practical driving test to be able to get on the roads. It is estimated that pass rates across the UK dropped to around 46 per cent recently as it became harder with new rules introduced. Now the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has released a top 10 list of reasons why people failed the new driving test in its first year. The motoring body is urging motorists to take more time to practice their deriving techniques and skills before taking their driving test.

There is particular emphasis on focusing on the areas in which drivers are making these common errors which prevent them from passing.

In addition to this the DVSA is stating that learners should gain more experience on the roads in different conditions such a driving in rain and in the dark.

Top 10 common faults made during driving tests between 4 December 2017 and 3 December 2018 were:

·         Junctions – observation.

·         Mirrors – change direction.

·         Control – steering.

·         Junctions – turning right.

·         Move off – safely.

·         Response to signs – traffic lights.

·         Move off – control.

·         Positioning – normal driving.

·         Response to signs – road markings.

·         Reverse park – control.

The data revealed that insufficient observation at junctions and not using mirrors effectively when changing direction accounted for 368,047 test failures.

The faults being made in driving tests reflect the factors that cause accidents on Great Britain’s roads, found the research.

Scarily, 39 per cent of all accidents in Great Britain in 2017 were a result of a driver failing to look properly.

Mark Winn, Chief Driving Examiner, said: “It’s vital that learners can drive safely and have the skills to drive on all types of roads before taking their test.

“The driving test helps get drivers ready for a lifetime of safe driving and makes our roads safer for all.

“Failing to look properly at junctions is the most common serious or dangerous test fault and the largest cause of accidents in Britain.

“Good observation, including proper use of mirrors, is a crucial skill that drivers must learn.”

Highway Code changes lay down the law on new Motorway Rules

Highway Code changes lay down the law on new Motorway Rules

Highway  Code is the official guide  to inform all drivers of their legal obligations and best practice for day-to-day driving.

The use of MUST NOT within the Code signifies that this is a legal requirement and drivers can be prosecuted for ignoring it.

The standard penalty for ignoring a red X symbol is a £100 fixed penalty notice.

The new updates have been made to reflect changes to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (2016) legislation, which sets out the appearance and purpose of the country’s road signs.

Smart motorways

The changes have been made to inform drivers about how they should respond to the red X symbol, which appears on central reservation signs and smart motorway, overhead gantries to inform them of lane closures.

Rule 258 of the Code now states:

“Red flashing lights. If red lights flash on a signal and a red “X” is showing, you MUST NOT drive in the lane shown as closed beyond the signal. This applies until you pass another signal indicating that the lane is no longer closed, by displaying the word “End” or a speed limit sign and you are sure that it is safe to proceed.

“Red flashing lights. If red lights flash on a signal in the central reservation or on the side of the road and lane closed sign is showing, you MUST NOT go beyond the signal in any lane.”

******************

The red X signs are used on around 300 miles of smart motorway where there is no hard shoulder or the hard shoulder has been converted into an extra lane for traffic.

They can be activated remotely to shut a lane affected by a breakdown or accident but there are fears many drivers are ignoring them and having to swerve at the last minute to avoid obstructions.

Until recently, police had to catch you in the act to be able to issue an FPN but since June 10, forces have been able to use footage from gantry cameras to identify offenders and automatically issue then with fines.

Controversy                             

Smart motorways have caused controversy since they were introduced.

On some the hard shoulder has been turned into an extra regular lane either at peak times or permanently. Supporters say this helps add road capacity and ease congestion with relatively little cost.

Matt Pates, who manages the East Midlands division of Highways England, recently argued that hard shoulders were no longer necessary as modern cars were far more reliable than older vehicles.

He also claimed motorways are “as safe, if not safer” without hard shoulders as they are “inhospitable” places for drivers, most of whom now get advanced warning if their car is developing a fault.

Critics, however, argue that removing the Emergency Lane would leaves drivers without somewhere safe to stop should their car develop a sudden fault and puts recovery crews at greater risk. They also argue that not having a clear hard shoulder makes it harder for emergency vehicles to get through traffic when called to an incident.

Government looks at steps to make New Drivers Safer

Government looks at steps to make New Drivers Safer

Road safety action plan to explore if Graduated Driver Licences should be introduced in England.

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·         Graduated Driver Licensing is to be  explored further in a bid to cut new driver crashes

New drivers could face limits on what they can do on the road, to ease them into a lifetime of safe driving.

The government will publish road safety action plan, later this week.

These new schemes could put restrictions on new drivers, such as a minimum learning period, not driving at night, or not driving with passengers under a certain age in the car.

One in 5 new drivers crashes within their first year on the road, and so any changes would be designed to help reduce this number and improve road safety.

Graduated Licensing Schemes already operate in New Zealand; New South Wales and Victoria in Australia; New York and California in the USA; Ontario and British Columbia in Canada and in Sweden.

Previously these schemes have been rejected due to concerns that it would adversely affect the ability of young people to get on in life — potentially restricting education and jobs.

However, conducting further research means the Department for Transport can build an evidence base to fully understand how graduated driver might work.

Currently, new drivers have their Driving Licence revoked if they accumulate 6 points within the first 2 years — equivalent to points for using a handheld mobile phone while driving or 2 speeding offences.

The government changed the driving test in December 2017 to reflect modern-world driving conditions, including adding a satellite navigation section.

Learner drivers are now also allowed to travel on motorways with an approved driving instructor to climatise new drivers to these roads.

Any changes to licensing will be consulted on before being introduced.