Government response

Highways Agency's response to article in the Daily Telegraph on 14 May 2014

Response to article 'Motorway speeds: Get used to driving at 40mph, says top highways official' - 14 May 2014

Sir

There is no target to manage motorway average traffic flows at speeds below 70mph.

In the face of growing volumes of traffic the Highways Agency has supported successive governments to make journeys more predictable. Since 2010 we have also added more than 200 miles of extra running lanes to England’s motorways and trunk roads. Last year the Government announced ambitious plans to improve traffic speeds, supporting this with a promise of long term funding certainty so that we can deliver more than 750 miles of extra running lanes in the next 5 years. I am now working with ministers to put those plans into effect for the benefit of all road users

Yours

Graham Dalton Chief Executive, Highways Agency

Published 14 May 2014