Four UK motorways have speed limit cut to 60mph in bid to save lives - full list

Traffic on the M1 motorway [file image]

The speed limit on four major UK motorways, including the M1, has been reduced to 60mph. The change is part of a trial to make roads safer and reduce the number of crashes.

A camera has been set up on the M1 near Sheffield between junctions 33 and 34 raking in £8,000 a day in fines. Some people have branded the move a “cash cow” after it raised millions with the speed limit also designed to lower pollution. A total of 22,546 motorists have fined for speeding on a 2.6 mile stretch of the M1. The South Yorkshire Police data, released after the Telegraph submitted a Freedom of Information application, shows the scale of the speeding problem.

But the M1 isn’t the only motorway affected. It was reported in January that the M6, M5 and M602 also have a top speed of 60mph in a bid to ascertain if driving slower helps reduce emissions. Stephen Elderkin, National Highways’ Director of Environmental Sustainability, said: “We are working hard to finalise the analysis of the vast amount of data collected and will be publishing the reports in due course.”

Claire Mercer, whose husband Jason, 44, was killed on that section of the M1 in 2019 and has campaigned against the smart motorways ever since, said: “Is the massive revenue smart motorways provide the reason why the government defends them in the face of overwhelming hatred towards them from the public?”

Money raised from all such fines goes to the Consolidated Fund, reports Birmingham Live. A Government spokesman added in the wake of the FOI findings this weekend: “Speeding on any road is dangerous, which is why we have strict laws in place against it, and fines help to enforce them.”

The spokesperson for the government went on: “Recognising public concerns, we’ve cancelled new smart motorways and we’re investing £900 million for safety improvements, including progressing the construction of 150 extra emergency areas.”

Full list of motorways affected

M1 between junctions 33 and 34 near Sheffield

Stretches of M6

Stretches of M5

M602