Today, Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser called on the Scottish Government to increase HGV speed limits on “A” roads in Scotland.
Following recent changes, lorry drivers in England and Wales are permitted to drive at 50mph on “A” roads south of the border whilst the 40mph limit still persists in Scotland.
Increasing the speed limit is expected to save English hauliers £11million per year and will also increase safety as a result of fewer risky over-taking manoeuvres whilst also reducing emissions.
Murdo believes that the successful trial speed limit on the A9 should result in similar trials being rolled out across the rest of the country. The roads affected in Mid-Scotland and Fife would be the, A90, A91, A85, A84, A93, A94, A923, A926, A822, A912, A911, A977, A823, A820 and the A873.
Commenting Murdo Fraser MSP said:
“The Scottish Government is often keen to praise the merits of life in Scandinavia and I hope they follow the same path as Denmark and Norway on implementing 50 mph HGV speed limits.
“Our speed limits were last set in the 1960’s and whilst we wouldn’t dream of keeping other laws made 50 years ago the Scottish Government remains committed to out-dated speed limits despite evidence showing safer and technologically superior HGVs.
“If Scotland does not follow England and Wales in updating the speed limit there is a real danger that our economy will be at a competitive disadvantage as a result of longer, less consistent journey times. Furthermore, there is a safety element to this, the Scottish Government rubber-stamped increased A9 speed limits in order to reduce the number of dangerous over-taking manoeuvres- this same logic applies to other Scottish “A” roads.
“Today, the Scottish Government committed themselves to an evidence-based approach and I would call on them to start similar speed limit trial on other “A” roads as they have done on the A9.”