New Launches
Show Report: CV Show 2012
What a cracking event the 2012 Commercial Vehicle Show turned out to be, thanks in no small part to Ford… Read More
Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Long-Term Test 1
We has just taken delivery of a Mitsubishi L200 4x4 Club Cab for long-term appraisal… Read More
Ford Transit ECOnetic Brief Test
We’ve been putting a SWB 100hp 2.2TDi Euro 5 Transit 280 ECOnetic through its paces… Read More
Renault Kangoo ZE 2011 European Launch
Renault is at the forefront of manufacturers offering a mass produced factory-built electric van… Read More
Fuso Canter 2011 European Launch
Fuso has completely revamped its range of light and heavy truck Canter chassis and chassis crew cabs… Read More
Iveco Daily 2011 European Launch
Iveco has introduced new, latest generation diesels to its Daily range, along with detail changes inside and out… Read More
Ford Transit 2011 European Launch
Ford takes the iconic Transit to the next stage with an all-new range of 2.2-litre Euro 5 diesels… Read More
Volkswagen Crafter 2011 UK Launch
VW’s large panel van has undergone a serious makeover with changes to the front-end styling and the cab interior, as well as new Euro 5 diesels… Read More
Ford Transit Connect Electric Brief Test
We spent a day with the battery-powered Connect to get a better idea of what it’s like to live with in its natural, urban environment. Read More
Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL Brief Test
Currently undergoing trials with selected fleet customers in the UK, we managed to get behind the wheel of a battery-powered Vito E-CELL… Read More
Government considers 80mph M-Way speed limit
The motorway speed limit could be raised to 80mph in 2013 if the government gets its way. Transport secretary, Philip Hammond, has announced that he will launch a consultation later this year. It’s likely that the increase, if introduced, will be in tandem with the extension of 20mph limits in urban areas. Introduced in 1965 the current 70mph limit is exceeded regularly by almost 50 per cent of drivers and increasing it to 80mph will bring the UK in line with other European countries like France, Italy and Germany, where the speed limit is 130kph. Germany still has derestricted sections of Autobahn, but it is unlikely that the government has the stomach for this.
Naturally, Hammond is putting a ‘we love the motorist’ spin on the proposal, following years of sustained attacks by the previous nanny state administration. “Britain's roads should be the arteries of a healthy economy and cars are a vital lifeline for many.” he said.
“This government has already scrapped the M4 bus lane, cut central government funding for money-making speed cameras and announced new measures to crack down on boy racers and reckless drivers while standing up for the decent majority.“Now it is time to put Britain back in the fast lane of global economies and look again at the motorway speed limit which is nearly 50 years old and out of date thanks to huge advances in safety and motoring technology.
He concluded: “Increasing the motorway speed limit to 80mph would generate economic benefits of hundreds of millions of pounds through shorter journey times. So we will consult later this year on raising the limit to get Britain moving.”
This one is a no-brainer, but VansA2Z feels that it would be sensible to adopt the French system of reducing the speed limit back to 70mph if the road is wet. We would also like to see the introduction of a 70mph minimum speed limit in the outside lane, providing road conditions are appropriate, and any vehicle fitted with a 56mpg speed-limiter restricted to the nearside lane on two-lane sections and dual-carriageways.