Transport chiefs have confirmed work will be undertaken to increase speed limits for Heavy Goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes in Scotland. Maximum limits should rise from 40mph to 50mph on single-carriageway roads and 50mph to 60mph on dual-carriageways.
Transport Scotland stressed that the move would aim to reduce the speed differential between HGVs and other vehicles on Scottish roads. They explained that this could help reduce driver frustration and may also improve journey time reliability.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, said: “The next steps have been informed by the huge number of responses to the public consultation. Work will be undertaken to further analyse the impact on road casualties and journey times of a speed limit change on different standards of single-carriageways, and this will inform any future transport policies.
“We are also going to start work now on the steps needed to increase HGV speed limits, recognising the consultation feedback and the positive results of similar changes from the A9 HGV speed limit trial and other parts of the UK.
“By reducing the speed differential between HGVs and other vehicles, this change is expected to enhance road safety by reducing driver frustration and improving journey time reliability.”
However, Transport Scotland’s National Speed Management Review found mixed views on raising HGV speed limits. A total of 60% of the 19,584 respondents to the survey felt that the current speed limit on single-carriageway roads for HGVs was about right, while 39% believed that the current restrictions were too low.
However, among organisations responding, 57% felt the speed limits were too low, while 37% thought they were at the right level. A total of 49% of organisations polled also claimed that speed limit rules for HGVs were also too low on dual-carriageway routes.
The survey found that 57% of respondents believed an increase in the HGV speed limit would reduce driver frustration on dual-carriageways. Meanwhile, 59% of respondents believed that increasing the speed limits on dual-carriageway routes would also improve journey times.
Transport Scotland was also considering lowering the national speed limit for cars, reducing the limit on single-carriageway roads from 60mph to 50mph.
However, this has since been ditched after nine out of 10 respondents did not think that a reduction would address national casualty reduction targets.
