Petition against introduction of 50mph NSL

A petition against proposals to cut the single-carriageway national speed limit from 60mph to 50mph has gained thousands of signatures in days.

• Sign the petition here

Just nine days after roads minister Jim Fitzpatrick revealed the plans, the petition on Number 10’s website has gained 13,255 names.

The plans threaten virtually every decent biking road in Britain and would leave riders with no choice but to keep one eye constantly on their speedometer in conditions where it’s perfectly safe to exceed 50mph.

The Department for Transport confirmed last week: ‘In developing the new road safety strategy, we are currently assessing the impacts of changing the national speed limit for single carriageways.’ 

The Department said the change would be introduced with no change to signing. Instead the standard national speed limit sign – a white circle with a black line though it – would come to mean 50mph on single carriageway roads.

Jim Fitzpatrick says the move is needed to cut deaths on rural roads but critics argue there’s not enough evidence this would happen and claim it will damage respect for speed limits instead.

• Sign the petition here

MCN has drafted a letter to send to your MP opposing the speed limit change.

Download it here. And find your MP’s contact details at www.writetothem.com