In case you\u2019re wondering how they were chosen, it\u2019s essentially because they\u2019re all very busy roads that run alongside large urban areas, and have consistently exhibited the highest levels of nitrogen oxides in the country.<\/p>\n
Drivers who ignore the new limits will have to contend with the risk of a \u00a3100 fine, and 3 penalty points on their licence. These new limits will be in place for at least a year – a spokesperson for Highways England has stated that if that time elapses and \u201cthey\u2019re not having the desired impact, then we\u2019ll remove them and look at other ways to tackle air quality in that area.\u201d<\/p>\n
If the trial is successful though, they\u2019ve made it clear that they intend to keep the new speed restrictions in place until cleaner cars start to make up the majority of vehicles on UK roads.<\/p>\n
![\"travel-SCN\"](\"https:\/\/www.scrapcarnetwork.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/travel-SCN.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
How 60mph limits have lowered emissions already<\/h3>\n
Let\u2019s be honest, this isn\u2019t going to be welcome news for lots of people, especially for those of us who are known to nudge ourselves slightly over the limit occasionally.<\/p>\n
But like it or not, the new measures are probably here to stay for the foreseeable. Highways England say that initial assessments show that 60mph limits led to an average 17% reduction in emissions in England, and similar measures have already basically halved pollution in several stretches of motorway Wales.<\/p>\n
Specifically, following a Freedom of Information Request by Highways Magazine found, records revealed that in areas where the limit was lowered to 50mph, toxic emissions dropped by as much as 47%.<\/p>\n
Of course, that change wasn\u2019t instantaneous. Predictably, drivers often disregarded the new limits when they were first introduced on five Welsh highways in June 2018, but it wasn\u2019t long before enforcement measures were implemented alongside them. Speed cameras and average speed checks ensured compliance amongst motorists, ultimately leading to the impressive 47% drop in emissions.<\/p>\n
Having said all that, of course, there\u2019s a balance to be struck for Highways England. The organisation acknowledged the need to ensure that these targeted speed reductions are capable of effectively reducing emissions without leading to unnecessary congestion, which of course will end up lowering the air quality anyway. It\u2019s a difficult balancing act, and to be honest, rather them than us!<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll happily admit that urban planning isn\u2019t our forte here at Scrap Car Network. What we are good at, though, is getting you the very best price when you scrap your car<\/a>. All you need to do is enter your car reg and postcode into the fields on our site, and we\u2019ll get you an instant online quote before you can say cash for cars. It only takes a few seconds\u2026 curious to find out how much your car is worth?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A possibly controversial change has just been made on some of England\u2019s busiest stretches of motorway. In the last few weeks, Highways England has lowered speed limits from 70mph to 60mph on highways running through major urban centres across the Midlands and North of England. The ultimate aim is to improve the country\u2019s overall air […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":1897,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n