Speed limit to be raised to 80mph

Transport secretary to announce increase in speed limit from 70mph to 80mph at Tory conference

The government is to raise the speed limit to 80mph from 70mph in a victory for the transport secretary, Philip Hammond.

Hammond will announce the change at the Tory party conference in Manchester this weekend.

The new policy is part of a determined bid to shift the government on to the side of the motorists after successive governments appeared keen to discourage driving.

Hammond is expected to couple the increase with an expansion of 20mph limits in many urban areas.

It represents the end of a drawn-out Whitehall battle with Hammond having to fend off the concerns of the climate change secretary, Chris Huhne, and the health secretary, Andrew Lansley.

Huhne fought against it as the 10mph increase will see cars use more fuel and so increase pollution.

Lansley's department raised concerns it will see a rise in road casualties.

It comes before a conference in which the Tories announce popular policies to remind activists of their own party's instincts outside the coalition.

Several welfare announcements are expected.


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