Back in 1964, my race-driver godfather took an AC Cobra for a test run to see how it would fair at Le Mans. He got it up to 185 MPH on, astonishingly, the M1 motorway. It was in the small hours of the morning, and no one was around, but amazingly, it was not illegal. Inevitably, this led to questions in Commons, and the following Christmas a trial 70 MPH limit was introduced, made permanent in 1967.
We’ve come a long way since then – and quite rightly. But this week sees the first of the UK’s countries introduce a 20 MPH speed limit on all roads that were 30 MPH. Wales’s new speed limit was brought in without public demand but was introduced for safety and environmental reasons.
We’ve seen this on small scales already. Much of central London is now 20 MPH, as is Birmingham. But to be honest, I am struggling to understand if this is a good idea or unnecessary state intervention.
I agree that around schools, hospitals, and other areas where large numbers of people congregate, a 20 MPH limit is probably a good idea. But is it really necessary in arterial routes through towns and cities? And given cars’ designs, driving at 20 is easier at the higher revs of 2nd gear, giving off more emissions.
I recently held a meeting with the police, highways, and local councillors about some roads in Wyre Forest. There have been a few fatalities lately and, for example, the road that takes you out of Kidderminster, around the Bewdley bypass and on up to the Wyre Forest visitor centre has curious limits. Amazingly, the limit past the safari park entrance is 70 MPH, whilst the limit from the top of the Bewdley bypass, past a lot of residential homes, to the forest visitor centre is 60 MPH – far faster than some less built-up areas.
Most drivers want to comply with the law. But to a certain extent, that requires the law to make sense. Clearly, 70 MPH past a busy park entrance is wrong, as is 60 past people’s homes. But so is 20 MPH on a four-lane road – Park Lane in Central London – as is 20 MPH on other, safer roads.
It will be interesting to see how the Wales changes work out. I half agree with it, but I do get the sense that the nanny state has gone a bit too far.