POLL: Will Increasing the HGV Speed Limit Have a Negative Impact on Road Safety?

The Roads Minister Stephen Hammond announced plans last week to increase the speed limit for some heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in a bid to boost the country's economic growth and "reduce the number of collisions caused by other road users overtaking slower moving lorries".

It's claimed the current 40mph speed limit leads to tailbacks, driver frustration and, inevitably, dangerous overtaking manoeuvres by other vehicles. The proposed plans would see the speed limit on a single carriageway for HGVs over 7.5 tonnes rise to 45 or 50mph.

The suggestion follows a government commissioned report by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) to establish whether or not there would be any road safety risk. TRL found that in most cases the change to the speed limit would not increase the number of, nor the severity of, accidents involving HGVs.

Both the Road Haulage Association (RHA) and Freight Transport Association (FTA), as well as the AA, welcomed the proposed changes. RHA Director of Policy Jack Semple said "This would improve efficiency and reduce congestion, as the DfT suggests. It would also improve road safety."

Road safety charity, Brake, however were less convinced by the report; concerned about the impact the speed increase might have on casualty numbers. Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive, "There is a clearly evidenced, direct link between traffic speed and the number of devastating crashes and casualties on our roads."

So what do you think? Do you think that the speed increase will causes a greater number of accidents involving HGVs?