Speed limits through motorway roadworks could rise from 50mph to 60mph

Speed limits through motorway roadworks could be increased from 50mph to 60mph.

The expansion of ‘smart’ motorways has led to a rash of lengthy 50mph limits during the construction work, many of which are likely to be in place for years to come.

One of the longest 50mph zones stretches for 34 miles along the M4 from London to near Reading, where roadworks will not be completed until 2022.

This has led to anger among drivers who blame the limit for increasing congestion while making their journeys more stressful and potentially less safe due to the threat of being tailgated by lorries.

Although 50mph zones are supposed to protect roadside labourers, anecdotal evidence suggests there are vast stretches where no work is being carried out whatsoever – particularly at night and during weekends.

Motoring groups have also questioned why ‘interminably long stretches of works’ are still in place at a time when traffic levels are far below normal levels during the coronavirus crisis.

Frustrations have been further heightened by doubts over the benefits and safety of the £6billion smart motorway programme, where hard shoulders are turned into live lanes to ease congestion with regularly-spaced emergency refuges.

The complex rollout of 300 miles of smart motorway is one of the reasons for the extreme length and duration of roadworks. The programme is not expected to be completed until 2025.

To address drivers’ frustration, Highways England has carried out a 12-month trial to look at raising the roadworks limit to 60mph under certain conditions.

The findings, to be revealed in a major report next month, could lead to the 50mph limit being permanently scrapped in some areas, with other roads taking a common- sense approach of only having the lower limit in place when roadside workers are present.

It follows a smaller trial in 2018 which suggested there were no differences in safety between 50mph and 60mph. The test also led to improved traffic flows and less tailgating.

The latest trial saw various forms of 60mph limits imposed on the M1, M6 and M4.

Junctions 13 to 16 of the M1 had 60mph limits permanently in place, while junctions 13 to 15 of the M6 had a contraflow scenario with 60mph on one side and 50mph on the other.

A ‘dynamic’ scheme was tested on junctions 3 to 12 of the M4, where 60mph limits were in place during certain times and at weekends when no work was being carried out.

Results from the trials will be published by Highways England next month. Motoring groups welcomed the possibility of a 60mph limit.

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: ‘Few things irritate motorists more than roadworks when there’s no sign of activity, or are as frustrating as seeing that the road ahead is clear but to be stuck at 50 miles per hour.

‘Motorists might well ask whether every effort has been made to get road improvement schemes accelerated to take advantage of lockdown traffic volumes, and whether schemes are being managed in a way that minimises disruption.’

Nicholas Lyes, head of roads policy at the RAC, added: ‘Drivers need to prepare themselves for many years of roadworks ahead.

‘When it comes to new stretches of smart motorway, they can only hope that all the years of works and reduced speed limits are worth it in terms of increased capacity. Worryingly though, drivers tell us they have serious concerns about how safe these motorways are.’

A Highways England spokesman said: ‘We understand people get frustrated with roadworks.

‘That is why we have been carrying out these further trials to look at where we can increase the speed limit to 60mph in different types of roadworks and in different ways – such as 24/7, or when there is less activity on site, or on the side of the road furthest from road workers.’