HC Deb 14 July 2003 vol 409 cc26-7W
Tom Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 8 July 2003, ref 123834, if he will place in the Library the assessment his Department has made of the road safety implications of increasing motorway speed limits. [125186]

Mr. Jamieson

The assessment carried out in 2001 into the possible effects of raising the motorway speed limit was an internal review of the available evidence. In its evidence to the Transport Select Committee on Road Traffic Speed, the Department gave both oral and written evidence to support its conclusion that the current motorway speed limit should be retained. The Select Committee's Report refers to this information together with other evidence. These documents are already available in the Libraries of the House.

Tom Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the environmental implications of increasing motorway speed limits to 80 mph. [125187]

Mr. Jamieson

The assessment carried out in 2001 showed that any increase in the motorway speed limit would result in an increase in both emissions and noise.