Lorries now allowed to go faster on rural roads

The Department for Transport is raising the limit for HGVs on rural single carriageway roads from 40mph to 50mph. David Williams, Green Party leader on Oxfordshire County Council comments:

"This Government decision to raise rural speed limit for HGVs is short-sighted and dangerous. The Government has announced that it is raising the speed limit for HGVs on rural single carriageway roads from 40mph to 50mph. This follows a consultation in which haulage companies and motorists lobby group the AA backed the move but many parish councils, cycling groups and local authorities were against it.

"Across the country as a whole, more deaths are caused on single carriageway 60mph limit roads than anywhere else.

"The Government is showing itself more interested in propping up its friends in the haulage industry than promoting cycling and walking in the countryside. This move will make cycling and walking along country roads even more dangerous and will increase car dependency at a time when we should be making it easier for people to leave their car at home. Just two years ago, in a move welcomed by road safety groups, the Government produced draft guidelines to allow local authorities to cut 60mph limits on some rural roads to 40mph. Oxfordshire County Council should be looking at this because this latest Government initiative is likely to make this positive step more difficult to achieve."