Will we have the courage to lower the speed limit on the highway?

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By Stéphane Amant – Senior Manager

You surely remember the uproar caused in France in 2018 by the government’s decision to lower the maximum speed limit on two-way roads to 80 km/h. Looking back, it’s clear that this was one of the factors that sparked the Yellow Vests movement. That’s how sensitive the issue of speed on our roads is in this country. So much so that those involved in the debate expended considerable energy on it for months, thereby overshadowing far more essential social issues [1]. Yet this measure offers tangible benefits for public safety and the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through lower energy consumption, at a lower cost to the public [2].

Today, a country right next to France is tackling this issue and isn’t holding back: the Netherlands has just announced a drastic reduction in the maximum speed limit on highways—from 130 to not 120, nor even 110, but… 100 km/h! [3] [4]. This regulation will take effect on January 1, 2020, though it will allow a time window between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. for those nostalgic for the 130 km/h limit. The decision is part of a broader strategy aimed at reducing the country’s GHG emissions, coming after the Dutch government lost a now-famous lawsuit brought by civil society over climate inaction (the Urgenda case, [5]), as it has inspired similar actions around the world, notably in France with Notre Affaire à Tous [6]. The courageous stance taken by the Netherlands is all the more commendable given that it was adopted by a government dominated by a conservative party, generally considered pro-motorist and nicknamed the “Vroom-Vroom” party for that very reason!

Will France have the courage to adopt a similar measure? While lowering the speed limit to 100 km/h seems unlikely and undoubtedly inappropriate (given that traffic conditions and geography differ greatly between the two countries, to say the least), a reduction to 120 km/h, or even 110 km/h (as is already the case on many highway sections), would be a strong gesture by the government in the fight against climate change. And, incidentally, it would also benefit motorists’ purchasing power! As a reminder, the reductions in GHG emissions made possible by this type of measure would be approximately 1.5 to 2 MtCO2 per year [7] [8], a magnitude comparable to the expected gains from increasing gasoline and diesel taxes, from establishing a public energy-efficiency renovation program, or from supporting organic and sustainable agriculture. This is therefore a road safety measure with significant climate co-benefits. If we want to ensure that individual interests do not take precedence over the public interest in this matter, let’s take this into account in the public debate! Article written by Stéphane Amant – Senior Manager

Sources: [1] LinkedIn Post [2] Carbon 4 [3] International Journal [4] Ouest France [5] Environmental Journal [6] A Matter for All of Us [7] ADEME [8] MTES