The Highways Agency has this week launched an eight-week consultation on the implementation of a maximum mandatory 60mph speed limit between junctions 28 and 35a of the M1 motorway in a bid to reduce pollution.
The proposals are aimed at helping to meet European Union clean air targets and are part of the “smart” motorway scheme, which will see vehicles using the hard shoulder as an extra lane to ease congestion.
According to the Agency, it should be assumed that the speed limit would need to be in place for several years, although there was no indication of how many years the speed limit would need to be retained.
However, their document said they expected vehicle emissions to reduce as more new, cleaner vehicles come into use and older, more polluting vehicles become obsolete.
The Agency also said it could change its plans, by limiting the operation of the lower speed limits to peak hours, or Mondays to Fridays or shortening the length of the road affected.
However, motoring organisations are warning that, if enacted, the lowering of the speed limit could pave the way for a countrywide restriction on motorway speeds.
A spokesperson for the RAC said that it is a landmark proposal because, as far as they know, motorway speed limits have not previously been lowered in order to comply with environmental legislation.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the AA commented that many drivers have purchased greener, cleaner cars so should not be penalised because of a minority of gross polluters.
Campaign group the Alliance of British Drivers said that the Government should be raising motorway speed limits, not reducing them, and that the EU’s air quality targets must not be used as an excuse to reduce speed limits or abandon vital road improvement schemes.