Dear All,
Its been seeded to the press that the 70mph motorway speed limit in the UK is about to be reduced to 50mph.
Ignoring the — at this stage pretty obvious — thought that this is the government doing what it loves best; controlling us ever more tightly…I do have a couple of observations:
1-
There is already a de facto 50mph speed limit in most parts of the country, where “smart” motorways and variable speed limits run amok;
2-
Why not just allow the free market (i.e. the people — you and me) to deal with any fuel shortage as we see fit?
In a free market, if supply outstrips demand, the price goes down.
And when demand outstrips supply, the price goes up.
People can then decide to use less fuel, crucially in any way they see fit.
They may decide to buy a more economical car; to not be so lazy (like me…) and walk to the local shop rather than drive, or drive a bit less often.
And yes, they may well decide to drive slower… if they want to.
This is a classic example of the government being an unhinged control freak and going WAY beyond its mandate from the people.
They don’t just think “this is none of our business, let the market work it out naturally”.
Instead, they try to control the situation by using threats (in this case, speeding fines) towards the victims of the the problem.
This is further proof — not that any were needed — that the government sees itself as the grownup, and us as the kids, who should obey whatever they say.
I’d like to what Members think about all this.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Adam
P.S. The raffle to win my 500bhp V8 Jaguar XFR (great timing huh?!) is still live.
You can enter to win it here:
So what I don’t understand is the fuel we are buying is already in this conner and probably processed, so it was bought at a lower price, went so we get screwed already on not simply profit
exactly what i was thinking. the media describe it as ‘anticipating’ rising costs! Blatant profiteering, actually. Any price increase won’t affect the majority-so it will cost an extra tenner or twenty to fill the tank. So what? I don’t need the govt to tell me to ‘save fuel’ if I can afford it.
That sounds about right.
That is ridiculous. I can’t understand how this government thinks up all this crap just to upset us. I think in my mind if everybody’s going it’s gonna take longer to get where you’re going so your engine is gonna be running longer anyway how’s that saving?
I know years ago when there was a petrol shortage, everybody was recommended to be thrifty and stick to 50 and that’s fair enough advising people but not to bring it in as a mandatory thing. It’s ridiculous. They are also trying to stop protest. So how can we express our feelings about something? I suppose petitions will be the only thing it is all becoming ridiculous with this government isn’t it?
They push up the price of existing fuel apparently to cover their margin for the next purchase which could be at the higher rate .. it could also drop in price but given the conflict thats unlikely
Agree and will be slow to come down when its all over.
Or reduce the tax and VAT?
So this is how you bring Productivity crashing down.
The best thing would be to allow any speed on dual carriageway roads.
And I hate lorries queuing up now. Imagine if we are all at the same speed??
At least make it 60 so the traffic can sort itself out and not get bunched up. Not safe
Yet another pathetic Government attempt to control the country and as the speed limit is already unnecessarily low on motorways (Germany has about 50% fewer accidents on its unrestricted speed autobahns does the 70mph restricted motorways)
However as always with this ideologically driven government with an insatiable appetite to control and tax; the opportunity to find yet another way to suck in cash to help with the massive borrowing and spend profligacy of the Labour party, through fines is too good an opportunity to miss.
Its totally about control and the opportunity to fine more folk for going slightly over their crazy limits. Many cars are less efficient at 50 than they are at 70 so its going to make damn all difference to their fuel usage in reality anyway.
The Big Brother thing is here again, the motorist is an easy target.
This is just as bad as 20MPH in towns.
As one other said the motorways were possible should unrestricted.
who ever put this lot in are paying for it now.
The media are part of the Government conspiracy.
Try reading the Kalergi plan to see what our overlords really have in store for us by 2030.
Expect another fake “lockdown” imminently, as the scamdemic of 2020 was simply a psychological exercise in control to see how far that they could push us as a human race. Most failed the test!
BBC = British Brainwashing Corporation :-)
Typical Adam speculating and looking for attention.
Love you too Brian
Back in 1973 when there was a oil embargo, the Labour Government imposed a “temporary” 70mph speed limit on the motorways, but surprisingly did not remove it when the oil crisis was over The sooner Nigel Farage becomes our Prime Minister the better
I drive a Mokka CDTI which does not like being driven at 50mph in 5th or 6th gears so this will destroy my economy by forcing use of 4th gear with the higher fuel consumption. This will negate one of my reasons for buying this car. I have already been forced to get rid of one of my favourite cars, Triumph 2000, by a former attempt to save petrol by a misguided ruling party.
Agree with your free market economics but too much traffic congestion on the roads .going nowhere and just bur
ning up fuel. Altering speed limit probably won’t make much difference.
I don’t drive nearly as much as I used to but when I do it’s long distances. As you say there is already a defacto speed limit on those ridiculous smart motorways that, in my many years of driving, have lead me to believe ARE the main cause of slow traffic and traffic jams. So what I don’t want is my 250 journey to take 5 hours or more instead of 3-4 hours. Or my 300 mile journey to Cornwall that currently takes me 6 hours, now taking longer because 50 mph isn’t going to stop heavy traffic but it will slow it down more and prevent making up time when the traffic clears. This is a nonsensical idea. What it should do more is stop middle lane hogging and people cursing at 71mph in the outside lane.
And what I meant to say is that fuel economy will be lessened by a longer journey.. And it’s my choice if I want to spend £100 on a tank rather than £80!
Used to have a diesel car then I switched to a EV car, best thing l ever did, l charge my car overnight cost between £5-£10 per charge (how far l travel per day) l get around on a full charge 350 miles
You still do not seem to have grasped that this is just about raising revenue. Not saving the planet.
Hi Graham. I wasn’t suggesting it had anything to do with “saving the planet”? Not sure how reducing speed limits raises revenue though? Cheers, Adam
I’ll just blast up the A roads in my 3 litre machine instead.
………in sports’ mode.
Nice :-)
I’m sick and tired of this totalitarian bullshit government,dictating over us.Time to get out,it’s going to get a lot worse with them,Sadly
I agree with all the above observations,
I think that the excuse is probably about actual national fuel stock and reserves.
Just my two penneth
I’m sure the police and other recearch a few years back said motorways would be safe at 80 due to improvements safety and brakes♂️
At 50 I probably start to daydream or sightseeing and not concentrate.
Actually, it would be a good idea if this incompetent government sought to get their own house in order rather than dictate to the public in general on what we should do to reduce our fuel use.
The Prime Minister. The Speaker in the House and Rachael from Accounts are all good examples of where to start an audit! I’m sure that within the ranks of a huge contingent of Socialist Members of Parliament, there will be many others who could contribute to improving the current difficulties that seem to be everyone else’s fault, except their’s.
Sadly, A.M.W. no longer fits the category he held previously, Air Mile Andy, or else he too could help in such an exercise.
I am not aware of anything this government has got right Starmer is spineless and has no political sense his chancellor has got nothing right. The energy secretary I suspect is responsible for the 50mph idea and he can’t understand that it is him making electricity so expensive. Now we have a labour demand that the country side be curtailed by banning trail hunting and scuppering shooting.
I think we will be lucky it is only 50mph and not 30. After the Crisis is over what chance it will stay at 50
How can we get rid of them or do we ask Russia to nuke the government
Petrol supplies could get a bit low. I was unable to buy petrol one day last week though diesel was available. I generally agree that Kier Starmer is a big brother controlling PM we could do without but speeding is an issue whatever Adam thinks. A reduction to 60mph would seem reasonable. 50mph is going too far as many drivers would ignore it and tailgating might increase. Re price, in one 25 mile drive from Teesside to Whitby yesterday, petrol prices varied between 141.9 and 156.9. They are normally within a few pence of each other. Profiteering?
Mandatory 50 mph is ridiculous, as is the widening gap on the price between petrol and diesel!
Reducing the speed limit to 50mph means we will be driving at 40mph on the M25! When they change the speed limit in the variable area, one always ends up driving at least 10mph slower because some idiot, who always drives 10mph slower than the speed limit in the middle lane anyway, will cause more traffic jams!
The air pollution will also increase because the cars will be going slower so the air dissipation is reduced!
The speed limit needs to be increased to 80mph, which is similar to the limits in Europe. The minimum speed limit on a motorway should be the limit that trucks can go, 56mph at present! If you don’t drive at that speed, you should be fined for dangerous driving, especially if hogging the middle lane! In Italy for example, the fast lane on the motorway has a minimum speed of 110kph (68mph)!