The UK government has announced plans to raise the national speed limit to 60 mph for lorries travelling on dual carriageways.

Rules governing HGVs will be modernised across England and Wales, Transport Minister Claire Perry announced on 28 November, 2014.

The plan is to raise the national speed limit from 50 mph to 60 mph for lorries travelling on dual carriageways.  This follows the proposed increase in speed limits to 50 mph for HGVs on single carriageways announced in July last year.

Transport Minister Claire Perry said, “It is really important that speed limits for lorries reflect the needs of a modern transport network and improved vehicle technology. Britain has one of the best road safety records in the world and I am determined to ensure this continues. This change is about ensuring rules for lorry drivers’ speed limits are in line with other larger vehicles on our roads, creating a fairer and more proportionate system.”

The changes to speed limits will update previous regulation dating back to the 1980s.