In a brand new response the Division for Transport confirmed it was contemplating adjustments with rural roads ‘least secure’
Rural roads within the UK have a default 60mph velocity restrict (Picture: Getty)
The Division for Transport has given an replace on calls to introduce a decrease velocity restrict on virtually 200,000 miles of English roads. An enormous plan is at the moment being thought-about for the UK’s highway community on what they’re categorised at and if adjustments should be made.
Latest statistics present individuals are six occasions extra prone to be killed or critically injured on rural roads verses motorways. The default velocity restrict is 60mph, typically on very slender and winding roads, which has prompted security fears, to individuals on horseback in addition to these in automobiles and on bikes.
In a brand new Parliamentary written query Liberal Democrat Dr Roz Savage requested Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander: “What latest evaluation her Division has made from the adequacy of the nationwide velocity restrict on rural single carriageway roads; and whether or not he has thought-about introducing a default velocity restrict decrease than 60mph on unclassified rural roads.”
In reply Lilian Greenwood, Parliamentary Below-Secretary of State within the Division for Transport yesterday (April 15) defined that steering to native authorities was being up to date – but additionally that new nationwide guidlines have been being thought-about. She mentioned: “The Highway Security Technique revealed on 7 January 2026, commits the Authorities updating the most effective apply steering Setting Native Velocity Limits which outlines how native authorities might introduce decrease limits on rural roads the place acceptable. The newest publicly accessible model of this steering emphasises that Native site visitors authorities have the ability to introduce velocity limits decrease than the nationwide restrict the place native situations justify this.
“The Highway Security Technique additionally appears at exploring whether or not the proposed rural roads classes are acceptable at an area degree and to assessing their potential for nationwide utility. Creating a a lot clearer and extra constant definition of what constitutes a ‘rural highway’ may assist goal security interventions extra successfully, making certain sources are spent the place they will have the best impression.”
The Highway Security Technique doc mentioned that on rural roads weak highway customers, comparable to pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and youngsters, ‘stay disproportionately liable to severe accidents and fatalities’. It provides: “Among the most high-risk roads within the nation are rural single carriageways, with excessive speeds and restricted infrastructure.”
The Strategic Highway Community (SRN) in England refers back to the core community of motorways and main “trunk” A-roads managed by Nationwide Highways. The report mentioned the SRN has greater than 4,500 miles of motorways and A roads, carrying 34% of site visitors in England. It mentioned that these roads are the most secure kind in 2024, there have been 1,931 killed or critically injured, 7% of the full for England. It then provides: “Conversely, roads in rural areas are the least secure by way of fatalities. In 2024 there have been 959 fatalities on rural roads accounting for 60% of all fatalities, whereas solely carrying 45% of site visitors.
“In 2023, the RAC Basis revealed analysis by Agilysis concerning the traits of a ‘rural highway’. This was step one in breaking down rural roads into a number of subcategories to raised perceive how one can outline these roads. This segmentation helps goal security
interventions extra successfully, making certain sources are spent the place they will have the best impression. From early 2026, the federal government will discover whether or not the proposed rural roads classes are acceptable at an area degree and assess their potential for nationwide utility.”
Dr Savage additionally requested: “What steering is supplied to native authorities on setting decreased velocity limits in rural areas; and whether or not he plans to extend the powers accessible to native authorities to introduce velocity restrict zones in rural communities.” Ms Greenwood replied this week: “Steerage for native authorities on setting decreased velocity limits, together with in rural areas, is supplied by the Division for Transport’s Setting Native Velocity Limits steering. This makes clear that native site visitors authorities might introduce velocity limits under the nationwide restrict the place native situations justify it, based mostly on elements comparable to highway structure, security concerns and the character of the realm.
“The Highway Security Technique revealed on 7 January 2026 dedicated to replace present steering on native velocity limits and velocity‑digital camera use.”
The RAC Basis Rural highway segmentation report checked out how roads have been categorised and the way rural roads in actual fact included an enormous number of varieties and varieties the premise for a change in categorisation of the community – and doubtlessly new velocity limits. Bruce Walton, techincal director of Agilysis and Highway Security Evaluation, mentioned: “This research is a chance to sort out a long-standing problem in highway security: how one can deal with highway hazard on rural routes, that are simply missed as a result of they’re calmly trafficked or run by distant areas.
“The report outlines a mechanism to assist engineers and blue mild providers do that extra successfully. It additionally proposes a sensible course of which may ship it, creating the prospect of additional analysis to develop a coherent nationwide strategy that gives useful perception into our sometimes-neglected rural highway community.”
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Basis, mentioned: “The query could seem easy: ‘what’s a rural highway?’ The reply seems to be extra advanced that you just would possibly suppose when decoding highway security statistics. This report suggests there are not less than ten varieties of ‘rural’ highway with particular traits, and the one factor they’ve in widespread is that they run exterior our massive cities and cities.”
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To learn the agricultural highway segmentation analysis click on right here.
To learn the Highway Security Technique revealed on 7 January 2026 click on right here.
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