DfT considers UK-wide 60mph change giving councils | Tech News

Calls are growing for a rethink of a 60mph restrict in power on roads across the UK. A giant change could possibly be on the way in which because the Department for Transport is contemplating reclassifying roads throughout the UK – and giving native councils the facility to change the velocity limits.

Latest figures reveal motorists are six instances more more likely to be killed or critically injured on rural roads in comparison with motorways. The commonplace velocity restrict stands at 60mph, typically on extraordinarily slender and twisting roads, which has sparked security issues for horse riders in addition to motorists and cyclists.

In a new parliamentary query, Liberal Democrat Olly Glover requested Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander: “What assessment she has made of the impact of the 60mph default speed limit on rural roads on safety; and whether she plans to review this default.”

In an reply, Lilian Greenwood, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Local Transport, stated the replace might imply massive variations for motorists. She stated: ”The Department for Transport retains velocity restrict coverage below review as half of its wider highway security work. As set out within the Road Safety Strategy revealed on 7 January 2026, the Department is updating the Setting Local Speed Limits steerage to assist authorities in making the best selections about managing velocity on the roads they’re accountable for.

“In addition, the Department is undertaking work on rural road categorisation to better reflect the range of road types currently covered by the definition of rural.”

The Road Safety Strategy doc highlighted that on rural roads, weak highway customers – together with pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and kids – ‘remain disproportionately at risk of serious injuries and fatalities’. It additional warns: “Some of the most high-risk roads in the country are rural single carriageways, with high speeds and limited infrastructure.”

The Strategic Road Network (SRN) in England contains the principal community of motorways and main “trunk” A-roads overseen by National Highways. According to the report, the SRN encompasses over 4,500 miles of motorways and A roads, accommodating 34% of England’s site visitors.

It acknowledged that these routes characterize the most secure class in 2024, recording 1,931 killed or critically injured casualties, representing 7% of England’s complete. It continues: “Conversely, roads in rural areas are the least safe in terms of fatalities. In 2024, there were 959 fatalities on rural roads, accounting for 60% of all fatalities, while only carrying 45% of traffic.”

Liberal Democrat Dr Roz Savage not too long ago requested Ms Alexander: “What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the national speed limit on rural single carriageway roads; and whether he has considered introducing a default speed limit lower than 60mph on unclassified rural roads.”

In response, Ms Greenwood clarified that steerage issued to native authorities was being revised – whereas additionally confirming that new national tips had been into account. She acknowledged: “The Road Safety Strategy published on 7 January 2026, commits the Government updating the best practice guidance Setting Local Speed Limits which outlines how local authorities may introduce lower limits on rural roads where appropriate. The most recent publicly accessible version of this guidance emphasises that Local traffic authorities have the power to introduce speed limits lower than the national limit where local conditions justify this.

“The Road Safety Strategy also looks at exploring whether the proposed rural roads categories are appropriate at a local level and to assessing their potential for national application. Developing a much clearer and more consistent definition of what constitutes a ‘rural road’ could help target safety interventions more effectively, ensuring resources are spent where they can have the greatest impact.”

In 2023, the RAC Foundation revealed analysis by Agilysis concerning the traits of a ‘rural road’. This was step one in breaking down rural roads into a number of subcategories to higher perceive how to outline these roads. This segmentation helps goal security interventions more successfully, guaranteeing assets are spent the place they’ll have the best influence. From early 2026, the federal government will discover whether or not the proposed rural roads classes are acceptable at a native degree and assess their potential for national utility.

Dr Savage additionally enquired: “What guidance is provided to local authorities on setting reduced speed limits in rural areas, and whether he plans to increase the powers available to local authorities to introduce speed limit zones in rural communities?”

Ms Greenwood responded this week: “Guidance for local authorities on setting reduced speed limits, including in rural areas, is provided through the Department for Transport’s Setting Local Speed Limits guidance. This makes clear that local traffic authorities may introduce speed limits below the national limit where local conditions justify it, based on factors such as road layout, safety considerations and the character of the area.

“The Road Safety Strategy published on 7 January 2026 committed to update current guidance on local speed limits and speed camera use.”

The RAC Foundation’s Rural highway segmentation report examined how roads had been labeled and revealed that rural roads truly embody a huge vary of varieties, forming the muse for revised community categorisation – and probably contemporary velocity restrictions. Bruce Walton, technical director of Agilysis and Road Safety Analysis, commented: “This study is an opportunity to tackle a long-standing challenge in road safety: how to address road danger on rural routes, which are easily overlooked because they are lightly trafficked or run through remote areas.

“The report outlines a mechanism to help engineers and blue light services do this more effectively. It also proposes a practical process which could deliver it, creating the prospect of further research to develop a coherent national approach that provides valuable insight into our sometimes-neglected rural road network.”

RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding commented: “The question may seem simple: ‘what is a rural road?’ The answer turns out to be more complex that you might think when interpreting road safety statistics. This report suggests there are at least ten types of ‘rural’ road with specific characteristics, and the only thing they have in common is that they run outside our big towns and cities.”

To learn the rural highway segmentation analysis click on right here.

To learn the Road Safety Strategy revealed on 7 January 2026 click on right here.