Consultation proposes 50mph speed limit for cars and lorries on some roads
Cutting the speed limit for most vehicles on some roads is being considered, while also increasing them for larger goods vehicles.
A consultation is being launched on the proposals, which could see the national speed limit on single carriageway roads cut from 60mph to 50pmh.
It will also consider increasing the speed limit on such roads from 40mph to 50mph for vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tonnes.
In addition, the speed limits for such vehicles could be upped from 50mph to 60mph on dual carriageways.
Analysis as part of the National Speed Management Review – which seeks to ensure speed limits on Scotland’s roads are appropriate – is said to have suggested the changes could “significantly reduce” collisions where someone is injured, while at the same time ensuring journey times are more reliable.
The number of people killed on Scotland’s roads fell from 171 in 2022 to 155 in 2023, but the overall number of casualties increased by 3% to 5,788, with serious casualties up by 9% – from 1,778 to 1,930 last year.
With a consultation on the changes due to run until March 5, Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop said the Scottish Government is “absolutely committed to working towards our ambitious goal of making Scotland’s roads the safest in the world by 2030”.
She announced the consultation during a speech at the Road Expo Scotland event in Glasgow.
She said: “This consultation on proposed changes to speed limits is part of our record £36 million investment in road safety this financial year.
“Evidence from the National Speed Management Review indicates that revising speed limits could lead to a significant reduction in the number of injury collisions on our roads while maintaining journey times and enhancing journey time reliability.”
She called for a “wide range of voices” to take part in the consultation, but added: “We must never lose sight of the fact that one death on our roads is one too many.
“These proposed changes represent a vital step towards achieving national casualty reduction targets, and I urge everyone to take part in the consultation and help shape the future of road safety in Scotland.”
But Tory transport spokesperson Sue Webber accused the Scottish Government of “imposing restrictions on Scotland’s motorists through a sleekit consultation, to make up for their own failure to fix the roads”.
Ms Webber said: “If the SNP had kept their promises to upgrade and dual key roads, they wouldn’t need to consider more limitations on drivers.
“The SNP are only trying to slow down drivers because they’ve been so slow to deliver vital infrastructure projects across Scotland.”
The Tory MSP added: “More restrictions is not what most people want to see. It’s another example of how detached the Scottish Parliament has become from the real world.
“If they are genuinely interested in saving lives, the SNP should be investing to improve roads up and down the country from the A9 to the A75, instead of imposing more curbs on motorists.”
But the Road Haulage Association said it would be a “positive step” for lorries to be able to drive at speeds of up to 50mph on single carriageway roads.
Its policy director for Scotland, Martin Reid, said: “The Scottish Government should be commended for consulting on the change to HGV speed limits.”
A trial of a 50mph limit on the A9 road between Perth and Inverness has led to a reduction is “risky overtaking”, Mr Reid added, saying there had been a “resultant improvement in safety”.
These findings are “backed up by a decade of data from roads in England and Wales”, he added, saying: “The extension of a 50mph limit across all Scottish single-carriageway A-roads should be expected to yield similar results.
“We also know that lorries use less fuel and create fewer emissions when they can drive at 50mph, and shorter journeys create savings which can be passed on to customers.
“Having HGVs driving at up to 50mph would be a positive step, and we welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to this consultation.”
