FTA backs HGV speed limit increase

The UK’s Freight Transport Association (FTA) has voiced its support of today’s announcement that the HGV national speed limit on single carriageway roads will increase from 40mph to 50mph. The Government decision followed a public consultation to which FTA had contributed and states that in early 2015 the national speed limit for heavy goods vehicles of more than 7.5 tonnes on single carriageways will increase. FTA said that this decision supports an improvement in road safety by reducing the 20mph
July 24, 2014 Read time: 2 mins

The UK’s 6983 Freight Transport Association (FTA) has voiced its support of today’s announcement that the HGV national speed limit on single carriageway roads will increase from 40mph to 50mph.
 
The Government decision followed a public consultation to which FTA had contributed and states that in early 2015 the national speed limit for heavy goods vehicles of more than 7.5 tonnes on single carriageways will increase.
 
FTA said that this decision supports an improvement in road safety by reducing the 20mph differential between HGVs and other road users, as the changes will allow UK roads to be used more effectively and safely on single carriageway roads. 
 
Commenting on the announcement Malcolm Bingham, FTA head of Road Network Management Policy said: “The FTA strongly supports this decision as we believe there is evidence confirming that road safety will be improved if the differential between HGVs and other road users is reduced.  Many motorists do not understand that the limit for lorries is only 40mph and this can lead to frustration and on occasion risky overtaking.” 
 
The current speed limit was introduced in the 1960s, since when lorry technology has advanced considerably.  The change will modernise an antiquated restriction, which is not matched in most other European countries.
 
Bingham continued: “This decision will allow changes to enable our roads to be used safely, and will save time for hauliers resulting in an economic benefit which has been estimated as being worth £11m a year across the freight and logistics industry.”
 
This change will be implemented via a change in the law to be put to parliament during the next few months.   The existing 40 mph limit continues to apply until the change has been put into effect.  The amended speed limit will cover single carriageway roads outside built up areas in England and Wales, unless specific lower local speed limits are in effect.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • The inside story of how traffic chaos was avoided after I-95 collapse
    August 23, 2023
    June’s collapse of major US roadway I-95 in Pennsylvania could have caused lengthy traffic chaos. But - relatively speaking at least - it didn’t and gridlock was avoided. Alan Dron finds out why
    Read More
  • Harmonisation of Europe's ITS deployment still unbalanced
    January 31, 2012
    Dean Herenda, Chairman of the EasyWay project, talks about the progress made and the progress still to be made in harmonising ITS deployment across the European Union. "The deployment and use of ITS in road transport across Europe was and still is unbalanced" Although Europe can be proud of being home to some of the world's most advanced ITS solutions, the relative disparities between Member States of the European Union (EU) in terms of the extent and technological sophistication of deployments actually sta
    Read More
  • European ideal poses local problems for toll companies
    December 16, 2013
    Being the first organisation attempting to implement an interoperable system poses challenges and increases risk that must be managed to realise the benefits. The European Electronic Toll Service (EETS) legislation aims to avoid the problems experienced in the USA and provide road users with seamless travel across the EU but it can pose big problems for some toll operators. Take, for instance, the case of the Humber Bridge in the UK. Its case was highlighted at the recent ITS World Congress by Tim Gammons,
    Read More
  • Car-free zones part of London 'reimagining'
    May 18, 2020
    Parts of central London will become “one of the largest car-free zones in any capital city in the world”, according to the city’s mayor Sadiq Khan.
    Read More

Highlighted Content