Over two thirds of motorists want the government to apply the brakes on plans to lower speeds limits on the motorway according to a new poll by Motorpoint.

A web-based survey by the UK’s leading car supermarket found 78.1 per cent of drivers opposed proposals announced earlier this year to restrict speeds on a section of the M1 to 60mph. Over 4,100 people participated in the poll.

The Highways Agency recently revealed that a 34-mile section of the M1 spanning Derbyshire and South Yorkshire would have a maximum speed limit of 60mph between 7am and 7pm seven days a week from 2015 onwards - as part of a drive to meet European Union clean air targets.

Mark Carpenter, Managing Director of Motorpoint, said, “The results of our poll are definitive – drivers don’t want to go any slower on motorways – rather they want to get to their destination quicker.”

“The government needs to be focussing its efforts on using the motorway ‘smarter’ rather than harder, adding lanes wherever possible to free up traffic and avoid costly queues. Motorists are already doing their bit for the environment by buying greener cars in record numbers and the government needs to respond in kind rather than introducing measures that will only contribute to making our motorways even slower.”

Image:  Mark Carpenter