MPs consider 64mph national speed limit and Sunday car bans

Ideas such as reducing the national speed limit on motorways and banning cars from cities on Sundays have gained the attention of UK MPs.

The Environmental Audit Committee – a House of Commons select committee made up of MPs from various parties – published a report looking at how the transition away from fossil fuels could be accelerated.

In the paper, attention is drawn to a 10-point plan from European sustainable transport campaigners at the European Federation for Transport and Environment, commonly known as Transport & Environment (T&E).

This plan suggests that motorway speed limits across Europe should be reduced by 10km/h, which would translate to a 64mph national speed limit on motorways and dual carriageways in the UK.

T&E also recommends having “car-free Sundays” in large cities. Mayor of London has previously held individual car-free days in the British capital.

Other suggested measures include reducing the price of public transport, as well as incentivising walking and cycling. Car-sharing schemes are also encouraged, along with night-time train services to airports.

T&E does call for the adoption of electric cars to be accelerated, but it takes aim at people travelling for business when “alternatives exist”. One of the suggestions repeated by the Environmental Audit Committee is that, where possible, employees should work from home at least three days per week.

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