But if we do, the travel time will not increase.
“Those who want to consume less fuel can perfectly decide for themselves to adapt their driving style. No general speed reduction on our Flemish motorways.” Flemish Minister of Mobility and Public Works Lydia Peeters tweeted this in response to the discussion and the striking proposal of the group of experts that advises the federal government on how to deal with the current energy crisis and economic shock of the war in Ukraine. Whether the measure will pass remains to be seen, of course.
The political party Groen proposes to lower the speed limit on Flemish highways to 100 km per hour, as in the Netherlands. The speed on the Brussels Ring has already been reduced to 2020 kilometers per hour in 100, just like on the Antwerp one. Elsewhere, the Flemish government swears by dynamic signs, which determine a different speed limit depending on the time of day.
Significantly less consumption and therefore lower costs. Less CO2. And less fine dust. There are many benefits to reducing the speed to 100 km/h on the highway. “And paradoxically, you'll get to your destination even faster.”
The reduction in speed is related to the rising petrol prices, which according to experts reduces the purchasing power of citizens. A new maximum speed must then ensure that purchasing power remains at the same level. Significantly less consumption and therefore lower costs. The Agency for Roads and Traffic points out that at a lower speed you react better to unexpected events, and that the impact of an accident is also smaller.
The proposal concerns a speed reduction based on the Dutch example. There, the maximum speed on motorways between 6 am and 19 pm is limited to 100 km per hour. A reduction in speed is also a good thing for air quality. The Netherlands introduced the speed limit to 100 km per hour to limit nitrogen emissions, and CO₂ emissions are also falling.
