SPEED limits are to be cut on dozens of stretches of major routes across Scotland in an attempt to reduce crashes. A review of the main “A” roads by the Scottish Government’s Transport Scotland agency has recommended cutting maximum speeds by up to 20mph in areas.
The review, ordered six years ago, also proposed some speed-limit increases on other stretches of trunk roads.
The Scottish Government will now go ahead with introducing the speed-limit reductions. Ministers hope to bring in the first of the new limits by the end of the year. However, any speed limit increases are on hold until police checks show drivers are complying with existing maximum speeds.
The government has already ruled out raising motorway speed limits, which were not part of the review, from 70mph to 80mph.
The plans were met with a mixed reaction by motoring groups, with some claiming inconsistencies in the way the review recommendations were being implemented.
The changes affect 44 sections of major A roads, including most main routes between the Central Belt and north and north-east of Scotland, such as the A82, A84/85 and A90.
Cross-Border routes, including the A7, are also covered in the plans.
Most of the decreases involve the normal 60mph limit on rural single- carriageway roads being reduced to 50mph, but there are also planned cuts to lower limits around villages.
The stretches involved cover up to about 12 miles, such as between the Cluanie Inn and Kintail Lodge Hotel on the A87, and on the A83 between Ardrishaig and Tarbert. However, some speed-limit reductions are on shorter stretches in and around villages.
Drivers would also have to slow down on two main bridges, with the limit on the A9 Kessock bridge in Inverness coming down from 70mph to 50mph, and on the Erskine bridge, west of Glasgow, from 60mph to 50mph.
Copyright © Scotsman 2012
