Spain
The Government has decided to put the controversial 110 kph speed limit back up to 120, despite the reduction in road deaths and accidents since the measure was first introduced in March
01.07.11 - 12:30 -
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Speed limit signs have gone back to 120. EFE
From the beginning of July the maximum speed limit on Spanish roads goes back up from 110 to 120 kilometres per hour. The decision was made last Friday after an intense internal debate. The special measure to reduce the limit to 110 came into force on March 7th in an attempt to reduce the effects of the high fuel prices. Now it is no longer deemed necessary, despite having saved no less than 449.7 million euros and reduced road deaths in many areas.
The initial measure was controversial from the moment it was first mentioned. Motorists’ associations immediately rejected the idea (in fact they are campaigning to have the limit increased to 140 kph), while environmentalists and associations of road accident victims supported the reduction.
Political parties questioned the measure, even the ruling PSOE who decided that the reduction contributed to the Socialists’ disastrous results in the local elections. In fact some maintain that the Interior Minister, and candidate for Prime Minister, Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba, has decided to remove the restriction just before the summer holidays because of its lack of popularity and the adverse effects on his party.
Protest
Meanwhile the environmentalists claim they fail to understand how the Government has dropped the restriction just like that, when the speed reduction had been so effective. Members of five ecologist groups were due to meet with the ministers of the Environment and Industry this week to express their protest at the decision.
Pérez Rubalcaba explained after last Friday’s cabinet meeting that putting the limit back up to 120 had been the subject of a “powerful debate”. However the temporary restriction was due to be reviewed before the end of June. Rubalcaba explained that the “circumstances have changed”, given that in March the price of oil was at 115 dollars a barrel and, after reaching a peak of 127 dollars, has now gone down to 106 and is expected to continue to fall. “Under these circumstances the measure no longer makes sense”, said Rubalcaba.
Back in March when drivers objected to the reduced limit Rubalcaba defended the move by saying that, even though the raison d’être of the measure was to save on fuel, driving at 110 was also safer and more environmentally friendly. The Minister boasted about the reduction in road deaths before and during the 110 limit, because “our road safety policy is getting results”.
Changing all the 120 signs to 100 cost some 230,000 euros. Now the Traffic Department has once again been working against the clock to restore the 120 kph road signs. Similarly the speed cameras and radar have had to be readjusted.
Success
Three months after the reduction to 110 kilometres per hour came into force, the results pointed at the success of the measure. While it was conceived to save fuel, there were other positive effects. Statistics revealed a steep fall in traffic accidents and in the province of Malaga road deaths were reduced almost by half compared to 2010.
So far this year 12 people have lost their lives on motorways and secondary roads in the province, five fewer than in the same period of last year. These figures make Malaga the Andalusian province with the greatest decrease in fatalities and among the first in the country.
As well as the death tally the figures for injuries and material damage have also fallen.
Traffic Department figures proved that drivers had reduced their speeds to comply with the lower limit. Two weeks ago it was confirmed that the average speeds on the province’s roads have reduced in line with the new limit. Now, however, the limit has gone back to as it was before March.
