(Fri 15 Aug 08)

A British insurance company is recommending that the UK follow a Spanish plan to bring the motorway speed limit down to 50mph.

Spain's idea (which has not gone down universally well with Spaniards) is part of a larger scheme to reduce the country's oil imports by 10%. The reasons given by yesinsurance for adopting the policy here include reduced fuel consumption, improved safety and a sudden lack of people driving at 100mph, though how reducing a speed limit that is already being disregarded would help that last situation isn't clear.

Wouldn't journey times increase vastly if everyone drove at 50mph? "Contrary to popular belief," says spokesman Paul Purdy, "cutting speed limits will not necessarily lead to a significant increase in journey times, because of a corresponding reduction in bunching and heavy braking which traditionally disrupts traffic flow on motorways."

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