Commercial vehicle drivers to be given new speed limit
Posted by Rebecca Harty
The Department for Transport (DfT) is proposing changes to the speed limit for HGVs and commercial vehicle hire fleet drivers.
Currently, all new and efficient lorries, trucks and vans are restricted to travelling at 56 mph on Britain's motorways, while older vehicles - built without a limiter - are able to go faster.
The Environmental Transport Association is concerned that this means there is little incentive for fleet solutions managers to splash out on new vehicles, which are often safer and more fuel efficient.
The DfT is now suggesting that all HGVs and trucks - including those which are part of a commercial vehicle hire programme - are forced to obey a 60 mph limit on motorways.
Another change would see fleet drivers banned from using the outside lane, as those in older vehicles currently are allowed to do.
One speed-reducing tactic deployed by the Highways Agency recently is the introduction of permanent average speed check cameras on a road in Cumbria, which are thought to be causing delays to commercial vehicle hire schemes in the area.