A friend once told me that government logic works thus:

1. We must do something

2. This is something

3. We must do this

This is no more ably demonstrated than the recent news that the National Speed Limit is set to be reduced on rural roads from 60 to 50 mph. Jim Fitzpatrick is the roads minister:

"There will be some in the driving lobby who think this is a further attack and a restriction on people’s freedom,” he said. “But when you compare that to the fact we are killing 3,000 people a year on our roads, it would be irresponsible not to do something about it."

I agree. All realistic efforts to help road safety, and limit the number of road deaths (limit, sadly it’ll never end up as anywhere near 0) should be encouraged. This isn’t a realistic option though.

The new 50mph limit is to appear on rural roads. Local councils will have the power to increase a limit to the current 60 limit on the safest roads, but will have to justify it.

Obviously, there are a very many rural roads in the Great North where I live. We even have A-roads that go through farm yards. As I result, I don’t currently go at 60 the second I get to the National Speed Limit sound on leaving Northern Town – I go at a speed safe for the conditions. Taking into account the weather, the size of the road, slowing for bends, etc. etc…

60mph is currently a limit, not a target. Driving skills should be able to tell people where it’s safe to go at the maximum limit, and where it’s suicidal. There’s some straight, flat, wide stretches of rural roads I frequently drive on where 80 would be a safe speed – then you get to a bend where 40 is a definite maximum. Obviously, these roads wouldn’t get included in the increased 60 limit.

I don’t have any statistics, but whilst 69% of fatal accidents happened on rural roads, I’d be surprised if in the majority of cases speed over the limit was involved. Excess speed for the conditions, yes, but that’s not necessarily over 60mph.

Which is why this new legislation won’t work. Change the driving test. Increase awareness of out-of-town driving. Add extra limits to drivers who’ve recently passed their test (I think a 2-stage driving test is required, and always have done, particularly with regard to motorway driving, but that’s a different can of worms). There’s plenty of options that will be more effective. Edmund King of the AA summarises it perfectly:

“There are quite a few single carriageway rural roads that are straight and adequately wide, where 60mph – in the right conditions, driving sensibly — is not a problem.

“The danger of the blanket approach is: are you going to then reduce speed limits just for the sake of it where you don’t need to? That’s where you lose the respect or the support of the motorist.

“We all know some rural roads where the 60mph limit is ridiculous, although there are equally others where it suits. So it is a case of getting that balance.”